A Model Citizen
by BlameItOnTheNaquadah
Summary: The IOA and the SGC have to come together after one of our favorite aliens almost causes a national incident. There's trouble and heartache ahead for several of our friends, but you can bet that an ex-space-pirate will always keep an ace up her sleeve!
1. Who?

**Chapter 1 Who?**

Vala came striding down the corridor of the SGC, heading towards the mess hall, with only one thing on her mind – dinner. She'd been stuck in Daniel's office all afternoon, translating some lengthy and boring piece of Gou'ald transcript that he'd dug out of the back of a cupboard somewhere.

The archaeologist himself had been piecing together – quite literally – a large and particularly decrepit looking marble box, one of the many historical artefacts that they'd found at Glastonbury several years previously.

Daniel had kept asking Vala if she was sure that she was doing her work properly, had she double checked it, had she referenced this translation with number 1256 or whatever in his collection. After he'd asked her for the umpteenth time if she'd made sure that the translation was loaded onto three separate hard drives/memory sticks/ CD's she'd finally flipped.

Vala had told him in no uncertain terms that he was the most boring person in the galaxy, that she was fed up of translating his Gou'ald rubbish into English and that she'd sooner go to a meeting with the IOA than spend another minute in his company.

Daniel had retorted that if she had something better to do then she was free to go off and do it. The archaeologist knew full well that Mitchell was on leave, Teal'c at the Jaffa Council and Sam over in Atlantis.

Vala had slammed her pink sparkly pen down onto the desk, called him something very rude in Gou'ald – even Daniel couldn't translate it – and thrown herself out of his office.

Now however, hovering outside the mess hall, she realised that she'd left her little wallet lying next to the TV in Daniel's office.

Blowing out her cheeks, Vala spotted General Landry over at one of the tables.

I wonder if he'll lend me some cash? she wondered to herself.

Landry's face however, looked even more cross than usual – his bushy eyebrows were pulled right down in a grim scowl, and he was talking intently to Walter, who sat opposite.

Nope, Vala thought, not brave enough. She turned away and wandered back off in the direction that she'd come, heading aimlessly for her quarters. There were some chocolate cookies in one of her drawers somewhere, and half a bag of popcorn, left over from a recent movie night with Teal'c.

Ten minutes or so later Vala was sprawled across her bed, listlessly peering into the popcorn packet when there was a knock at the door.

"What?!" she yelled, rather grumpy from hunger.

"Can I come in?" Daniel asked.

"No!" she shouted back. "Not unless you've got my wallet in your hand."

The door opened a crack and her wallet was waved, like a white flag of surrender, through the gap.

"Alright," Vala muttered, mollified. "You can come in."

Her team mate poked his head around the door, pulling an apologetic face.

"Sorry for keep getting on your nerves," Daniel said, gently. He came in and sat on the edge of the bed. "You're great at translating, really you are. It's just – you don't always remember to save it anywhere."

Vala glared at him, then relaxed slightly. "I only forgot once. Twice maybe. That business with the books from Ra's library or whatever doesn't count, because you said that you already had copies."

"I did have," Daniel told her. "They were on a memory stick which you dropped inside a geyser on PVT_472."

"You pushed me!" she snapped. "You pushed me, and I dropped them."

"I pushed you to avoid a missile being hurled by an angry Unas!" he reminded her. "Anyway…" Daniel hastily steered the conversation back on track. "I just like knowing that everything's backed up. It's really important. Not just for me – for everyone at the SGC. It's essential to get as much information as possible about our enemies. So thank you – thank you for helping."

Vala pouted, but appeared placated. She pushed him with her sock-clad foot. "Are you going to take me for dinner then?" she asked, twirling her hair between her fingers.

Daniel smiled. "Only if you're going as far as the commissary," he told her.

"That'll be lovely, darling," Vala bounced up on the bed, bad mood forgotten. "I really didn't want to eat just popcorn – it's not very filling when you're hungry."

"Put your boots back on then," Daniel ordered. "I'm not taking you anywhere in just your socks." He threw her the wallet.

Vala tucked it under her pillow, winking at him.

"I'm paying then, am I?" the archaeologist said, resignedly.

"You offered," she yanked her boots on, jumped up and tugged him out of her room. "Come on, before General Landry eats all of the doughnuts!"

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

The General and Walter were still deep in conversation when Daniel and Vala entered the cafeteria a few minutes later.

Landry looked up briefly when he saw them enter – a strange expression flickered briefly across his face before he resumed his usual gruff stare.

"Did you see that?" Vala whispered, nervously. "He looked at me funny!"

"No he didn't, stop over-reacting," Daniel replied. Although privately he agreed with the alien – the General _had _looked at her strangely. The archaeologist felt a faint pang of misgiving, but shook it off. "Come on, look – there's chocolate pudding up on the board, look!"

"Oooh!" Vala was immediately distracted and honed in on the food counter. By the time they were carrying their trays back across the room she'd forgotten all about the 'peculiar looks' interlude.

Daniel and Vala were busy munching their way through their respective suppers when they were joined by Mitchell, back from leave, a few minutes later.

"Hi guys." He threw himself into a chair. "How's it going in the world of translations?"

Daniel and Vala looked at each other.

The alien snorted, but her eyes were smiling. "Wonderful, darling." She told him.

Daniel pushed her with his foot.

She kicked him back.

"What have you been up to Mitchell?" Daniel enquired, his mouth full of burger and fries.

The Colonel sighed. "Five minutes back from vacation and it's all meeting, meetings, meetings. Long, boring, meetings with anyone and everyone remotely connected with the Stargate Program. The Russians, the British, the Chinese, the President – even General O'Neill. Got the pleasure of the IOA tomorrow, so help me!"

"Ugh," both of his team mates groaned in unison. Nobody on SG-1 had much fondness for the IOA.

"Whose blood are they after this time?" Daniel asked.

Mitchell shrugged. "Darned if I know. As long as it's not mine!" he paused, frowning. "Or anyone on my team."

He too, glanced across at Landry and Walter, and caught the gate technician looking over at their table. But which one of them was he watching? Mitchell couldn't be sure.

Caught in the act, Walter nodded slightly and looked away. Almost immediately both he and Landry stood up and left the mess hall, whatever they'd been talking about so intently put on hold for the time being.

Mitchell turned back to his team mates, to find both of them watching him.

"Do you know something that we don't?" Daniel asked.

The Colonel shook his head. "Nope. But I'm thinking that it won't be long before we all find out anyway. Those two looked as thick as thieves – I'm guessing that whatever is going to go down is pretty important."

Vala spooned a huge lump of chocolate pudding into her mouth. "Well, I've been good for nearly a month now," she told them after she'd chomped her way through it. "You have to admit it. I've behaved impeccably. And I haven't stolen anything – well, I mean, I haven't been caught stealing anything – for ages."

"Keycards," Daniel threw back at her, immediately.

"Well, I need those. Especially the one for your office. And I hardly use them. Well, not much. Except your one of course, but that doesn't count."

"Kor-mak bracelets," Mitchell reminded her. "And don't think I won't tell Landry about them if you really hack me off one time!"

"They already belong to me," Vala replied, looking pious. "They're mine. I'm only letting the General keep them locked up to make him feel better. Or rather, let him think they're locked up."

"Where are they actually hidden?" Daniel asked, interestedly.

"Under Jonas's fish tank," she replied, grinning.

"Zat gun." Mitchell looked stern. "I know that you've got one stashed somewhere."

"Haven't."

"Have."

"Haven't. Anyway, the SGC has got plenty. Why bother about just one little Zat which I may or may not have pilfered?"

"Gou'ald healing device," Dr Jackson tapped her with his coffee spoon. "You definitely have one of those. You healed me with it."

There was a very slight change in the Vala's expression, a flicker of emotion swept across her face as she tilted her head, flicking her long dark hair back over her shoulder.

"It's mine." There was a note of finality in her voice. Don't touch me! Her body language was saying, don't bring up what I don't want to talk about. What I never want to talk about.

Daniel touched her hand gently. "Yeah, that's yours."

Vala stuck her nose in the air and looked away, but the stony look left her eyes.

"Anyhow…." Mitchell leaned back in his chair and winked at his alien friend. "No use worrying 'bout whatever's coming our way. We'll get through it – we always do. We're a team."

"Come on," Daniel knocked back the last of his coffee and prodded Vala with his foot again. "I've nearly finished with that tablet. You can watch your Farscape DVD's on the TV if you want to."

"Yes please!" she stuffed in the last piece of chocolate sponge and jumped up. The alien was on her way out of the door before Daniel had even stood up.

He shook his head, said good bye to Mitchell and followed her out.

Cam wandered slowly up to the counter, mulling over the meetings that he'd had, and was due to have. The prospect of the IOA arriving tomorrow didn't fill him with much joy. He thought back to General Landry and Walter and the way they'd looked over at him. At his team. Trouble was brewing, he could feel it in his bones. But trouble for who?

**TBC...**


	2. Why?

**Many, many apologies for the late update to this chapter! It needed a massive re-write, and my poor beta has worked overtime sorting out the mess which I made of it! Thank you all for your patience - hope that you enjoy the result of all our hard work! :-)**

**Chapter 2 Why?**

It was the following day. Colonel Mitchell had been closeted in a meeting with the IOA, General Landry and General O'Neill since just after 09.00 hours. The commissary had been open for lunch for almost an hour before the conference room door opened to signify the end of the meeting.

Mitchell stormed out, slamming the offending piece of furniture back on it's hinges. He was quickly followed by the ex-leader of SG-1.

"Mitchell!" Jack called.

The Colonel carried on towards the stairs, unheeding.

"Mitchell! You better stop before I catch up with you, and that's a goddamn order!"

Mitchell stopped, a rueful grin tugging at his lips. "You think you'd catch me sir? With those bad knees of yours?"

Jack shrugged. "Wanna try?"

Mitchell shook his head, but his expression sobered. He nodded back up the stairs towards Landry's office.

"What the heck just went on in there? Do we defend our own people or not? How come we just have to sit back and let people walk all over us? Everything we do, everything we got going – someone comes along and throws a spanner in the works! I thought Landry was in charge at the SGC!" He was furious.

Jack wisely held his tongue, guessing that the Colonel hadn't finished ranting yet.

He hadn't. "This is wrong sir, you know it is! What are they all tryin' to prove? What does anyone think they can possibly gain from doing this? Losin' good people, that's all that's gonna happen! It's not even just SG-1! Hell, there's plenty of aliens on SG teams besides ours, SG14, SG11, to name a few. Does the IOA think Immigration's gonna come dig them all out and find out where they really work? And we all know Teal'c has no interest in emigrating to any country on any planet – It's Dakara or nothing for the big guy. This sucks." Mitchell swung across the corridor, slamming his palm against the wall.

"Steady, Colonel," Jack warned.

Mitchell took a deep, steadying breath. He kept his hand against the wall. After a few seconds he looked across at the General.

Jack pulled his face into the 'what now' expression which he had perfected over many years in the military. The eyebrow raising, lips-pressed, face shrug.

"It's not fair," Mitchell said, finally.

"Usually isn't," Jack replied. He pushed his hands deep into his pockets. "I'll tell you what _really_ sucks – whoever thought up that dumbass back story for Daniel's girlfriend in the first place!" He raised his eyebrows. "And who's bright idea was it to let her and Teal'c go on vacation together?"

The tips of Mitchell's ears pinked slightly. "Well – it was Vala's idea but I…"

"You agreed to it." Jack shook his head in resignation.

"I didn't think they could get into any trouble!" Mitchell's voice rose, as he stood with his hands spread in front of himself, an indignant look on his face. "They were only supposed to be flying to Florida to check out Disney World! What could possibly have gone wrong there?"

Jack twisted his lips wryly. "Well, not much, I guess – _if_ they'd actually got there at all!"

Just under a month previously SG-1 had all had some downtime. Mitchell had gone home to his folks.

Daniel had gone as far as his office, although he did make it as far as O'Malley's with SG-11 one evening.

And Vala, unable to talk Daniel into taking her to Disney World had found an unexpected ally in Teal'c, who expressed an interest in several of the rides, particularly Space Mountain. The two of them had gone tripping off merrily only to be stopped at Orlando Airport after Vala, busy chatting up the security guards, forgot where she was supposed to hail from.

"Austria," she had said. Then "It might be Australia. Yes – that sounds more like it – I'm sure there was an 'L' in it. And there were surfboards on the photo General Landry showed me – can one surf in Austria?"

"No ma'am," the guard replied. "Austria is full of mountains. And they speak German."

"Ah." Vala smiled brightly. "Yes. I knew that. Bondage too, I'm sure he said. A place where people travel to perform bondage on each other, I suppose. In Australia. Not Austria, obviously, because I'm not from there. Nope. Not at all."

"Do you mean – Bondi Beach?" the by now extremely suspicious security guard asked her.

"Yes!" Vala flapped her hands in relief. "Oh, clever you! Bondi beach of course! I knew that. Because – that's where I'm from, isn't it? Austria."

"Australia," the guard replied, getting out his handcuffs.

Vala had been carted off into a small cell where she'd panicked inwardly and ranted outwardly. If she'd had her lock picks she would have been out in a moment, but the erstwhile security guard had relieved her of those as soon as he'd clapped eyes on them.

Several hours later - after Teal'c had managed to contact Landry, and then Jack, who had been in a meeting with the President – an extremely harassed looking Richard Woolsey had appeared to spring Ms Mal Doran and drag her off back to Cheyenne Mountain immediately.

"No Disney World?" she had inquired, glumly.

"No Disney World!" Woolsey replied brusquely, marching her off towards a waiting truck.

Vala had endured a supreme dressing down from Landry, Daniel and finally Mitchell on his return. She had sulked for two days until the archaeologist had bribed her with the promise of a dinner date.

"Friends only!" Daniel had stressed.

"It's better than nothing," she had muttered. Not as good as a trip to Disney World though, she thought.

After that, everyone at the SGC thought that the furore had all blown over. Apparently not.

"Take it easy, Mitchell. Nothing's been decided yet. Let the IOA think they've got us on the hop, makes 'em feel better. Makes 'em feel like they're in control. Last time I looked the President of the USA was in charge of the SGC, not the IOA, although they'd like to think that they are. Play 'em, Mitchell, like they play us. Go along with what they want, and if it works out okay, then that's great. And if it don't go quite how we want, _then_ we start creating a big, honkin', stink. And trust me, I'm good at making those."

Mitchell smiled reluctantly. "Yeah, I know sir – I've read the old mission reports!"

"Hey now," Jack spread his hands, feigning innocence. "Not sure what you mean there, Colonel." Nodding towards the elevators, he gave Mitchell's shoulder a quick pat. "C'mon, I'll buy you lunch."

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Vala was the only member of SG-1 in the mess hall when they walked in.

Mitchell felt a spurt of adrenaline shoot through his veins when he caught sight of her. The outcome of the glorified slanging match which he'd endured all morning was going to have serious consequences for both of his favourite aliens. He couldn't tell either of them about that yet however.

Jack led the way to the counter, where about six or seven people stood in line before them.

"Can we – can we pretend that we have something to talk about, sir? So that, y'know.." Mitchell's voice trailed off.

"So that the ex-space pirate doesn't come over and sit with us? What are you – a man or a mouse, Colonel?" Jack shook his head. "It sucks, I tell ya, but it's part of being their CO – sometimes you know crap that they don't. Sometimes you know you'll be able to tell 'em later on, and sometimes you know that you won't." He paused, glancing across at the alien woman.

She was chattering away blithely to a group of suitably star-struck young airmen.

"Vala's smarter than she looks, y'know," Jack reminded the younger officer. "Don't underestimate her. And Teal'c' – heck, he'll wing it!"

Mitchell nodded, taking in what the General was saying. Yep, time enough to panic when the – well, his Grandma wouldn't like it – when _something_ hit the fan!

"Cameron!" Vala was shouting across the room, waving in their direction. "Jack! Jack! Come and sit here!"

She just loved it that she was allowed to call the General by his Christian name! The poor young airmen sitting with her looked terrified.

Mitchell snorted, amused.

Jack looked over his shoulder at the Colonel. "I believe I hear us being summoned." He lifted his full tray. "Shall we?"

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

For all that Jack pretended that it was the bane of his life to endure Vala's endless chatter, he was really quite fond of the scatty, zany alien. He recognised that hidden underneath all of the emotional wreckage was a bright, brave, loyal woman. He'd make sure that she ended up okay, whatever the outcome was of this mess that she'd inadvertently created.

"O'Neill!" a familiar voice called to him from further along the corridor. He turned.

"Hey, T – how's it going?"

Teal'c bowed, smiling. "It is going well, thank you. It is good to see you again. I am sorry that I was not here when you arrived."

"Awww," Jack shrugged. "Don't beat yourself up. I was stuck in with Hank for most of yesterday anyway. You didn't miss anything."

"Indeed." Teal'c fell into step beside his friend. "ColonelMitchell also gave me the impression that the meetings were not pleasant."

"Let's just say that our boy's patience was tested to the limit, especially when those guys from the IOA started bleating away." Jack paused. "He did good. Guess he don't make a bad job of leading SG-1." His eyes were teasing.

Teal'c smiled. "Indeed. He is almost as good as his predecessor."

"Huh - ya think?"

The two men were at the bottom of the stairway leading to the conference room, they mounted them slowly in companionable silence.

General Landry was waiting at the top, reading over some chart or other which Sgt Siler was showing him. "Go through," he waved them in the direction of the conference room. "Be there in a minute. The others' aren't here yet."

Teal'c looked quizzically at Jack. "Which others, O'Neill?" he asked.

Jack raised both of his hands. "This is _nothing_ to do with me," he told him. "Trust me, T. I'm only here in a supporting role. Supporting you guys of the SGC." He paused. "Aww, heck! Just – you'll see." Jack shook his head and threw himself into a chair, with a "Sheesh!"

Teal'c, now extremely puzzled, sat down opposite.

The men only had to wait another minute or so before the two British officers, Flight Lieutenants Oldroyd and Deakin from SG-11 turned up.

They were closely followed by the Chinese guy from SG-14, who turned out to be a Chinese girl – Lieutenant Xiao - with an electronics degree from Harvard and a nervous smile.

Three Russians, Major Kurakin and Captains Sapazhnikov and Yezhov, who Jack vaguely remembered from his off-world days appeared soon afterwards.

Vala came bouncing in next – she stopped abruptly on the threshold, an uncertain look on her face. "Muscles?" she queried, slinking in quietly and not at all in the Mal Doran style. "What's going on?"

"I do not know. O'Neill appears to know something but is unable to tell us."

"Hey!" Jack glared from across the table. "Don't make me out to be the bad guy!"

Another couple of non-military personnel came in and sat down nervously.

Vala curled her legs up in the chair and rested her chin on her knees. Her eyes were wide and concerned. She chewed her lip worriedly, until she caught Jack watching her from opposite, when she plastered on the fake smile and sat up straighter.

General Landry and Mitchell came into the office shortly after. The head of the SGC was scowling even more than usual.

Mitchell didn't look too happy either. He caught Vala's eye briefly before looking away.

Her stomach clenched. What was going on? Without realizing she bit her lip again.

"So, I expect that you're wondering why you're all gathered here," Landry began.

Several nods greeted him, from around the table.

"As you know we had a visit from the IOA yesterday." He continued. "However any of us may feel about the IOA in particular, they do have a job to do, and we must be seen to heed their directives."

He paused. The scowl lightened slightly. "We can heed these directives, but we don't have to actually carry all of them out, if you get my meaning."

A few chuckles were heard from around the room.

"However," General Landry's eyebrows dipped ominously again, "– on this occasion the IOA have every right to be…annoyed with us." His gaze travelled around the room, resting momentarily on Vala.

She blushed faintly.

Landry continued. "The IOA, as you know, is formed from an alliance of many different nations – we embrace all nationalities here at the SGC. However, certain recent – developments – have united both parties, I'm afraid. It has been decided that on this occasion we _must_ work together, to ensure the ongoing smooth running of the SGC. This new directive is compulsory, and the SGC will adhere to it. You are all gathered here because this directive applies to yourselves. There are several other personnel who are also involved but they are off duty today, we will inform them at a later date."

The SGC chief paused, looking around the table at the anxious faces now staring back up at him.

Mitchell looked furious.

Jack looked as if he'd fallen asleep.

"So – why have you people in particular been summoned here today?" General Landry asked the motley crew assembled around the table.

There was a brief silence.

"Because none of us are American," Vala stated, quietly.

Landry met her gaze. He nodded.

"Yes," he told them. "None of you are American citizens. Due to a recent – skirmish – while a member of this community was off base, the IOA have decided that any member of the SGC who hails from – let's just say, off world - should be a legitimate holder of a US passport."

Vala's face had flushed scarlet by now. She felt as if the entire room were looking at her.

"That means," Landry continued, "that Teal'c and Ms Mal Doran will have to take the US citizenship test, should they wish to remain as members of the SGC. The President agrees with both myself and the IOA. I'm sorry, " he directed his words to Teal'c and Vala alone, "but I guess that this was always an accident waiting to happen."

The two alien members of SG-1 looked at each other.

Teal'c's expression was unreadable.

Vala looked like someone had just thrown a bucket of cold water all over her. I'm the accident waiting to happen, she thought sadly. I started this whole mess in the first place. Stupid Bondage Beach! The Tau'ri have such ridiculous names for their own countries! Austria, Australia – how was I supposed to remember the difference? I've never been to either or them!

Angry tears began to burn at the back of her eyes. Who in their right mind would think an ex-space pirate and Gou'ald host was a suitable candidate for US citizenship? She leaned forward, hands propped up under her chin, attempting to look unconcerned.

Jack, still feigning sleep, watched both Vala and Teal'c from underneath his eyelashes.

There was a stunned silence.

"Sir.." Oldroyd began, hesitantly. "Why are the rest of us here?"

General Landry smiled, and nodded at the younger man. "Both the IOA, the President and the SGC have decided to offer all members of staff here the opportunity to take the US citizenship test, if they wish. Some of you have worked in this facility for several years and given much to the protection of the USA. Seems only right that you be rewarded by the country in some way, which can only really happen if you're a US citizen. Plus you'll receive all the other rights which go with citizenship – voting, travelling, living off base and so on. It's optional, not compulsory – the offer is there to anyone who wishes to take it up. You would of course still retain your current passports and citizenship of your home country – you would have dual nationality."

The silence which followed this was far more thoughtful. Several people began to whisper to each other excitedly.

"Well," Landry continued. "I'm sure that you all have questions, so feel free to ask."

Several of the personnel gathered around the table raised their hands.

Teal'c did not.

Vala shot to her feet, with her arm straight up. "Please may I be excused to use the bathroom?" she asked, brightly, a wide grin across her face.

Landry studied her for a beat. "Okay," he said, eventually. "Any questions that you might have, you can ask Mitchell later."

"Oh yes, absolutely!" Vala nodded vigorously, before shooting out of the door and down the staircase.

Jack, opening his eyes, sat forward in his chair and looked straight at Mitchell. "Follow her," he ordered.

The Colonel didn't need to be told twice. "Yes sir!" He stood and quickly followed his team mate out of the room.

Teal'c still sat impassively, watching O'Neill.

"You wanna talk?" Jack asked, morosely.

"Indeed." The Jaffa's response was even more solemn than usual.

"C'mon." Jack stood and motioned his friend towards the stairwell, nodding to the three Russians as he passed.

Landry was already answering questions and attempting to explain procedures to his by now rather lively employees.

"Good luck!" Jack told him as he passed.

Landry merely glared back.

The two friends slowly descended the staircase and headed in the direction of the commissary. They passed Mitchell, heading back towards them up the hallway.

"You find her?" Jack asked.

"Nope." The younger man shook his head. "She must have run like the wind to hit the elevators before I caught her. I'm gonna head to her quarters and then up to Jackson's office. She's probably gone to him."

"Okay." Jack and Teal'c carried on towards the elevators.

Mitchell went on up the stairs.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Vala, already on level 19, let herself into Sam's empty laboratory. Keeping the lights switched off, she crept across the room, feeling for the top of a large filing cabinet which she knew was against the left hand wall. When she touched the cool metal, she slipped in behind, sliding down the wall to sit with her knees tucked up under her chin. If anyone glanced in from the doorway, she would be invisible.

Laying her cheek against the cool wall of the office, Vala traced cracks in the paint with her index finger, and tried to pretend that the tears which kept pooling in her eyes were caused by hay fever.

**TBC...**


	3. Where?

**Chapter 3 Where?**

Daniel looked up when Mitchell knocked against the door frame of his office a few minutes later.

"Hey Mitchell." The archaeologist tapped his pen against the marble box which was just about in one piece. "What's up?"

"You seen Vala?" The Cclonel asked, his face serious.

"Er – no. Is she in trouble?"

"No. Not exactly. Not in that way. If you see her, hang onto her, then call me. Me or General O'Neill – call us right away. Okay?"

"Sure." Daniel frowned, walking slowly around the desk. "What's wrong?"

Mitchell shook his head. "Military stuff. Government and IOA stuff, to be exact. That meeting I had with 'em – bastards!" he finished vehemently.

Daniel's eyes widened in surprise. Something had _really_ wound up his team mate. "Are you saying - you can't tell me?" he asked.

"I don't need to. It's not an official secret – it'll be all over the SGC by lunchtime, you bet. Find Vala – she'll tell you," and Mitchell threw himself off down the corridor, muttering under his breath.

Daniel stood and watched him go. He wondered whether to also search for his alien team mate, but thought that if something really was going down, it was better to stay where Vala could find him, if she needed to. He picked up his pen again and went back to the marble box, although it couldn't be said that he gave it his full attention anymore.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Teal'c and Jack O'Neill sat in silence for some time after they reached the mess hall. Jack morosely munched his way through a bag of potato chips.

The Jaffa sat with an untouched bottle of water in front of him.

Jack eventually spoke first. "So…?" he began. "Awww, c'mon! It's not my fault!"

"I am aware of that, O'Neill," Teal'c inclined his head. "I do not lay any blame at your metaphorical door."

Jack raised his own eyebrows.

"However," Teal'c continued. "I am now a native of Dakara – it is my home. I do not need or desire to be a citizen of anywhere else as well. I do not believe it is right to pressure a human being into having to chose between their own country or planet, and another, for a reason as small as this. It is being done merely to placate members of the Tau'ri government, who have minimal understanding or involvement with the running of Stargate Command. What do they think can be gained by insisting on such a manouver as this?"

Jack shook his head. "It's nothing to do with what _they_ gain or not," he told his friend. "You ask me, they're only doin' it because they _can_ do it. They have some degree of power over the SGC, whether we like it or not. Those bastards just wanna make their point – that this is the gateway to the galaxy, the point of first contact, top level security - blah, blah, blah! They're just making a point – a stupid, ignorant, dumb ass point!" He stopped, pulling his mouth into a grimace.

Teal'c said nothing for a few moments. Eventually, a deep sigh escaped the Jaffa. "O'Neill," he spoke quietly. "My loyalty must be to the Jaffa Council and Dakara. I cannot be a citizen of the Tau'ri also. However loyal I feel to SG-1 and my friends' here, my first priority must be to my own people. I will not take this examination."

Jack's eyes were dark with emotion. He looked directly into his friend's brown ones. "Yeah," he said sadly. "That's what I thought you'd say."

Teal'c acknowledged the General with a gentle nod.

The two men sat in silence for a long time.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Lunch time had begun, and still Mitchell hadn't found Vala.

He'd rung up to the guards at the surface, who confirmed that she hadn't left the base. He'd been down to the Gateroom, but nobody there had seen her. He'd spent the morning revolving between the gym, the cafeteria, the control room and her quarters while still trying to carry on with his own duties.

Eventually he turned up again at Daniel's door.

The archaeologist looked up. "You find her?"

"Nope. Guess you didn't either."

"Not here. Are you sure that she's not in trouble?"

Mitchell shook his head. "No, not in the way you think. It's – have you seen Teal'c?"

"Er – no. Is he involved too?"

Mitchell didn't answer.

"So - this morning you couldn't find Vala and now you can't find Teal'c. What exactly went on in your meeting yesterday?" Daniel squinted at his C.O.

Mitchell sighed. "Basically – basically you know how the government love making things difficult for the SGC every now and then, right? SG-1 in particular. Only they've really pushed the boat out this time!"

He paused, taking a deep breath. "Neither Tea'c or Vala can work at the SGC any longer unless they're a full on US citizen. They have to take the exam if they want to stay. It's because of that mess the Princess got herself into tryin' to go to Disneyland a few weeks back."

"Exam?" Daniel was beginning to feel some serious inklings of disquiet.

"Yup. The US citizenship exam. Isn't that just great?" Mitchell's sarcasm was not lost on his team mate. "They're chucking out freebies to everyone else too - any of the international guys who work here can go for the exam if they want."

"But – Vala. And Teal'c…." his voice trailed off.

"Oh, double yup! Teal'c's already told General O'Neill that he won't do it. His first loyalty has to be towards Dakara and the Jaffa." Mitchell's face was a mix of emotions. No-one could imagine SG-1 without Teal'c on board.

"And Vala?" asked Daniel.

Mitchell shrugged. "Who knows?. She ran out of the conference room as soon as she could think up an excuse and nobody's seen her since."

"Dammit." Daniel took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, a sure sign that he was concerned about something. "She could be anywhere."

"Well, she's still somewhere on the base," Mitchell told him. "I have absolutely no goddamn idea where though. I've scoured this place from top to bottom! I thought that she'd come to you for sure."

But Daniel, knowing the alien as well as he did, shook his head. "Not if she's really upset. She'll be hiding somewhere. She won't want anyone to know how she's feeling. Where could she be that no-one would look for her? Where might she feel safe?"

A pause. The two men looked at each other.

"Sam's lab!" Daniel spoke a millisecond before Mitchell.

The Colonel nodded. "I didn't think – seems obvious now." He moved towards the corridor. "Can you check it out? I'll get back to General Landry – there's an awful lot of excited people running about the SGC at the moment. Not sure the old guy's blood pressure can take it! Call me if you find her."

Daniel nodded, locking his office door and and heading in the other direction. "I will. She's there – I know it."

Mitchell paused at the stairwell before looking back. "Hey, Jackson! Be careful with her."

Daniel waved in acknowledgement. "I will."

It was only when the archaeologist exited the elevators that he realized he had no key card for Sam's lab. Luckily Mitchell had thought ahead – an airman who was stood at the end of the corridor approached him immediately.

"I have orders to let you into Colonel Carter's office, sir," he said.

"Thank you," Daniel replied quietly.

The young airman carefully swiped his own key card through the reader. The red light turned to green. "Good luck!" he smiled.

Daniel looked faintly surprised. "Er – thanks," he mumbled. Quietly, very quietly, he pushed the door ajar and slipped inside.

The lights were off and the lab in darkness. Daniel wasn't deterred. He stood, waiting, five seconds, ten seconds, fifteen. Then he heard it, a tiny sniff from somewhere over in the corner. Moving silently to Sam's desk he flipped on the lamp.

Vala was still sat crammed in behind the filing cabinet. She'd tucked her feet underneath herself, with her arms leaning on her knees. Her head was down on her arms, face hidden underneath her long, dark hair.

Carefully, Daniel sat down next to her. It was cramped in between the cabinet and a bookcase, he 'ouched' as he tried to bring his legs in towards himself.

Vala still didn't move.

Daniel pulled the cell phone from his pocket and rang Mitchell.

The Colonel answered it before the second ring. "Jackson?"

"Yeah. I've got her."

Daniel heard a sigh of relief from the other end, then Mitchell passing on the message to Landry, who he could hear in the background.

"You okay to stay with her? Keep an eye on her?" the Colonel asked.

"Of course. I'll get back to you."

"Thanks Jackson. Later." Mitchell hung up.

Vala hadn't moved.

Daniel tossed his own phone aside. He watched the alien woman for a few moments, unsure of how to begin. What did she want to hear? What did she _need _to hear?

Lifting his arm, he hesitated, then carried on, placing it carefully around Vala in a one armed hug.

She didn't move, but he heard what sounded suspiciously like a quiet sob.

"Vala," Daniel whispered.

Unexpectedly, she turned into his hug and burrowed her head against his chest, clutching at the front of his jacket.

Daniel held her as close as he could, his cheek against her hair, not saying anything, just waiting for her to gain control of herself. It would never do to admit that he'd seen a real, silvery tear slip down her cheek before she'd hidden her face against him.

After a few moments Vala pushed herself away, wiping her hand over her face.

Daniel silently passed her his handkerchief.

Vala took without a word. She blew her nose, wiped her eyes and gave it back.

"So…." Daniel began, watching her closely. "I'm guessing you're not so keen on having to take the citizenship test."

There was a lengthy pause, before -

"Mitchell told you?" she whispered, huskily.

"Yeah. He's pretty fed up. And Landry. It's a crazy idea."

Another long, silent moment stretched between them.

"I hate your stupid Tau'ri government."

"Me too." Daniel grinned wryly.

Vala brushed her hand tiredly across her eyes. "I-I don't want t-to leave the SGC," she stammered, looking away, to hide the tears which returned and scratched at the back of her eyes.

"You don't have to." Her closest friend in all the world, in _any_ world, laid his arm across her back again. "I'll help you with the test. Mitchell will help you – and Sam! We'll go through the test papers, and look at the questions. They're not hard questions, Vala, you just have to learn them and remember them! You can do this!"

He tugged gently at her shoulder. "It's not just you - a whole bunch of SGC guys are gonna take the test too. You won't be on your own."

At last she looked directly at him. The expression in her eyes was desolate. "Daniel - I'm an ex-Gou'ald space pirate and con woman. Who in their right mind would grant me American citizenship?"

He gently used his thumb to wipe a stray tear which escaped and slid down her face. "Those are - are - they're extenuating circumstances! We can get around them - we'll find a way to get around them."

Vala sniffed dolefully. "I'm terrible at exams. I'm terrible at anything school-related." She looked away. "I didn't go to school after I was twelve."

"Weren't you sold when you were about twelve?" Daniel asked.

"Mmm." For the first time the archaeologist saw a faint lift in her expression. "It was a great way to get out of school!"

He shoulder-nudged her.

Vala briefly laid her head against his shoulder.

"How do you feel about going back to school?" Daniel asked gently. "For something that's really _worth_ going to school for? If I helped you? You won't be on your own."

Vala sat silently, thinking.

"I'll fail," she said.

"You will with that attitude," Daniel retorted.

Vala glared at him. "I can't help it. I will! I don't like school!" She was starting to sound petulant, and more like his friend again.

"It won't be like school. Well, it will a little bit. But you can do it! We'll all support you, like I said. We'll all help you – you won't have a chance of failing!"

Now she was frowning.

Daniel smiled to himself. He had her.

"Vala – you're angry with those idiots in Washington, right? What better way to rub their noses in it, than to take them on at this, without a word of argument? " He paused. "The bottom line is, you have to do this if you want to stay – and you want to stay, right?"

Daniel tugged her chin gently, so as to turn her towards him.

Emotions of all kinds were flitting across Vala's face.

She really is the most beautiful woman, Daniel thought, suddenly and unexpectedly. He blushed and cleared his throat. "I want you to stay," he told her, quietly.

Vala sighed. She wrinkled her nose. "I'm only doing it for you then," she told him. "I'm doing it because you want me to. I don't care if I pass or not. I'm not bothered about working for the stupid Tau'ri!" She waved her arms airily. "I could get a job anywhere in the galaxy, do you know that Daniel? I don't' have to stay here. I'm only staying because you want me to. Is that understood?"

Daniel snorted.

She glared at him.

"Understood," he smiled. "So, what you're admitting, is that you actually _do _listen to what I say?"

"Don't!" Vala frowned, before smiling reluctantly.

Daniel pulled her into a brief, one-armed hug again. "Come on," he stood and put his hand out to pull her to her feet. "Lunch time started ages ago – aren't you hungry?"

"Starving!" she agreed. "But I don't have my wallet with me."

Daniel rolled his eyes.

"I'll buy! C'mon." he made for the door. His hand was on the handle before Vala caught him.

"Thank you." Her expression was sober, a hint of worry still around her eyes. She bit her lip. "Thank you for looking after me." She tossed her hair. "Not that I need looking after. I can look after myself, you know."

Daniel briefly cupped her face in one hand. "Don't I know it! Now come on, before we're too late for supper, never mind lunch!"

**TBC...**


	4. Worried

This chapter marks the beginning of what became my almost-obsessive research of the US immigration service, it's practises, rules and regulations. I think that I could take the US citizenship test myself now, and pass it! Like Teal'c and Vala, I'm not a US citizen, so if there are any glaring mistakes, I apologise.

**Chapter 4 Worried**

Eight of the current foreign personnel based at the SGC decided that, along with Vala, they would like to take the U.S citizenship exam.

One of the main eligibility requirements before a person could take the exam however was that you had to have been in receipt of a green card for at least five years. Only one of the eight fulfilled that criterion.

Both the SGC commander and the IOA were united in their insistence that this rule be abolished in the current case.

"Extenuating circumstances," Woolsey had insisted.

Both he and General's Landry and O'Neill had kicked up such a stink at the initial meeting that the Washington committee had to back down.

The President intervened personally, instructing all concerned parties that as the Stargate Program was a unique institution it must be treated in a unique way. Thus, any foreign national who was seconded to work there, was automatically guaranteed the right to apply for U.S citizenship.

Vala, who from uncertain beginnings had now decided to take on the entire US Immigration Service, had already tackled Landry over the green card issue and been suitably reassured. She'd read through all of the other naturalization requirements and thought that she wouldn't have too much of a problem, once she'd been to the citizenship classes that the SGC were holding. The only thing which worried her slightly was the 'good moral character' required by applicants.

"I'm not sure that some people in Washington would ever agree that I can exhibit a good moral character," she told Jack, concerned.

"Just as well it's not up to them then, isn't it?" he replied. "That's something those hard-headed, pain-in-the-asses' can't control. They may think that they can get a dig in at the Stargate Program, but they sure as hell don't run the Department of Immigration!"

All the same, it was a rather worried Vala who wandered through the corridors of the SGC late on the following Saturday evening. Most people were off duty, just on call staff remained on the base.

General Landry had been on site earlier but had gone home.

General O"Neill had left that morning, taking a newly-arrived Colonel Carter with him. The alien woman wished that Samantha could have stayed for just a little while longer, but she didn't want to spoil the precious time that her friend and Jack had together.

Daniel and Mitchell had both gone home for the week-end, although both of them had called her earlier in the day to check that she was okay. Or rather, behaving herself, as the archaeologist had phrased it.

Vala walked slowly up the stairs towards the control room.

Walter, on call, was the only person there, the room shrouded in subdued lighting. She sat down with him for a while, discussing a new bet that she wanted to put onto his books. After twenty minutes or so the erstwhile technician went off for his break.

Vala sighed and wandered into the conference room, then on to Landry's office. Out came a keycard and she sneaked in and sat down in the large leather chair. A wide grin spread across her face – then faded. Was this good moral character? Breaking and entering? Stealing keycards? Suddenly, impulsively, she looked at the clock – 23.57 hours. Not even midnight. Surely he wouldn't be in bed yet?

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

The telephone rang. He answered it, slightly surprised that it rang so late. The voice on the other end was unfamiliar, but very pleasant, and after a few moments he realized that the owner of said voice was in genuine need of someone to talk to.

"So," Vala continued, "I've looked in the dictionary, and the definition of 'morals' is :- "concerned or derived from the code of behaviour that is considered right or acceptable in a particular society."

"That sounds like a proper explanation to me," agreed the President of the United States of America.

"Well then," the alien cleared her throat, "when I was a pirate and I acted like a pirate, that would be classed as okay, because it was right or acceptable amongst other pirates? Including the smuggling rackets which I was also involved in? Which really, if you think about it, goes hand in hand with privateering anyway."

"Ms Mal Doran, these incidents occurred off world, is that correct?"

"Yes sir!" she nodded vigorously, forgetting that he couldn't see her.

"Well then, I'm pretty sure that the United States of America has no jurisdiction over any incidents which may have occurred as far away from Earth as you undoubtedly were when they took place. And if you were obeying the local codes of moral behaviour..."

"Soooo, I don't have to take those incidents into account when I'm applying for citizenship? I don't have to mention it at all?"

"No Ms Mal Doran, I don't think that you do."

"Excellent, excellent." Vala sat up straight in Landry's chair. "I feel that I should also tell you, Mr President, that I do have a couple of SGC keycards in my possession – not for any nefarious uses of course, merely to get in to – well – other people's offices if required. Not to steal anything! I don't do that any more, really I don't!"

"Ms Mal Doran!" the President broke into her nervous babble. "Are you ever required to enter someone else's office, for work purposes, when they are absent? For instance, collecting papers, assisting with tests and so on?"

"Yes I am!" Vala replied, relieved. "Sometimes I have to go into Daniel's office to help him, or to collect his boring old translations or stuffy old artefacts. And sometimes I help Samantha in her lab. When she's home, I mean."

"Well then," President Hayes reassured her. "That all seems perfectly respectable to me."

"And I probably should confess to you that General Landry thinks that my Kor-mak bracelets are locked up in the armoury somewhere, but actually I've hidden them away myself. But, Mr President sir, they _are _mine! I mean, they do actually belong to me! Kind of. I brought them with me when I came."

"Kor-mak bracelets – are they those things which linked you and Dr Jackson by some kind of telekinetic bond a few years ago?"

"Um…they may have been." Vala screwed her eyes shut.

"Do you intend to use them again while you are on American soil, Ms Mal Doran?"

"No! No Mr President sir – I will _never_ use them again. They were more trouble than they were worth, really they were! And they made Daniel angry with me. They made _everyone_ angry with me! I promise you, Mr President, I won't ever use them again. It's just – they belong to me, and – and – I don't have a lot of things which belong to me anymore."

She sounded rather wistful, Hayes thought, as her voice tailed away.

"Well," he continued. "I would say that as long as you don't intend to use them, and you keep them locked up or hidden away in a safe place, then the immigration department doesn't need to take their presence into account."

"So…" Vala bit her lip, " you think that my morals are acceptable to be a US citizen then?"

Far away in Washington the President smiled. He'd never met the SGC's resident female alien before, but was beginning to wish that he had. He'd have to remedy the situation as soon as possible.

"Ms Mal Doran," he told her gently. "I've read your file. More than once. You have shown your loyalty to the United States on many, many occasions, by your actions whilst employed on active duty with SG-1. Not only this country, but this world owes you a debt of gratitude. You are a strong, brave and reliable woman. You have nothing to worry about. Now, just take the darn test!"

Vala was smiling on the other end of the line, albeit slightly tearfully.

"Thank you, Mr President," she said, quietly. "And thank you for taking the time to talk to me. Um, I wonder if we could, well, perhaps not tell General Landry about this call?"

"My lips are sealed, Ms Mal Doran. Now, as it's gone 2am here, I'm afraid I must say goodnight."

"Oh, goodness me! I forgot about that time thingy! I'm so sorry! Goodnight, Mr President! Goodnight!" Vala whispered. She could hear Hayes chuckling as she hung up the phone.

Walter was moving about outside.

Quietly Vala put the red phone back in it's cradle and slipped out of the office.

The gate technician nodded as she went past, his customary worried frown flickered across his face. Had she just come out of the General's office? Walter stood, opened the door and looked in. Everything undisturbed. He shook his head – I'm over-reacting, he thought. Shutting the door he went back to sit down in the control room.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Teal'c sat at one of the tables in the mess hall, musing over the strange dealings which had gone on inside Cheyenne Mountain recently.

So many people had come up to him, expressing their sadness that he would no longer be a member of SG-1. Some of them were young airmen, or non-military personnel who he had barely even spoken to.

Teal'c was genuinely touched. When he had come to Earth, over twelve years ago now, he never could have imagined how fond he would become of the Tau'ri. To be forced into leaving brought him no pleasure at all.

He frowned deeply. The closest friends that he had ever had in his entire life, excluding Master Bra'tac, were all inhabitants of Earth. Obviously, as a member of the Jaffa Council, he would not be severing complete contact with the Tau'ri, but it would not be the same as living and working with them permanently.

Teal'c thought of Jack O'Neill – a man who he had known was different from others the instant that he had seen him, in the prison on Chulak.

Daniel Jackson – an archaeologist at heart, but someone who would also have his back out in the field.

Colonel Carter – supremely intelligent, incredibly brave and extraordinarily beautiful. She was the first alien female who he had considered being equal to his own wife.

Teal'c's thoughts moved on to Colonel Mitchell – filling O'Neill's shoes as leader of SG-1 had been a tough job. The younger man had shown resourcefulness, tenacity, courage and downright bull-headedness in running the team. Although he had not told him so, Teal'c had always been impressed by Mitchell.

Lastly Vala – she had tried Teal'c's stoic Jaffa patience almost continually when he had first met her, before he came to understand the emotional, loyal, brave, resourceful woman who hid behind the façade which she showed to the world. They had become very close over the years spent together. It was difficult to imagine never again hearing her yell "Muscles!" after him down the corridor.

As if on cue she plonked herself down across the table from him. "Morning Muscles." She leaned her chin on one hand and yawned widely.

"You are tired, ValaMalDoran?" he inquired.

"Mmmm." She leaned forward, whispering. "I rang the President last night, but don't tell anyone. Especially Landry."

A smile twitched at the Jaffa's lips. "I will inform nobody."

Sam's voice interrupted them. "May I?" she asked, sitting down with a loaded breakfast tray. "How you doing, Teal'c?"

"I am well thank you, ColonelCarter," he acknowledged her. "Although it brings me no pleasure to contemplate having to leave the SGC."

Sam's lips pulled downwards, sadly. "Me neither," she told him, reaching across the table and laying her hand on top of his.

Teal'c placed his other one on top of her's.

There was a tiny pause before Vala put her's on top. When they pulled away from each other, everybody felt that little bit glummer.

"We will still see you around though, won't we?" Sam asked.

The Jaffa nodded. "Of course."

"I wish that you'd take the test with me," Vala said wistfully. "I might have more of a chance of passing if you took it with me."

"I cannot, ValaMalDoran," he told her, gently.

"I know." She laid her head down on her arms, as she often did when she felt sad.

Sam leaned across the table and tugged gently at one of her friend's long pigtails. "You'll do fine," she told her. "I'll help you."

"Mmmm," mumbled a voice from under the wavy tresses.

"Morning team." Mitchell sat down heavily in the seat next to Vala's. He lifted her hair and flicked her ear.

"Get off!" she retorted, but smiled and sat back up. Stealing one of the Colonel's pancakes she started squeezing a bottle of syrup over it.

"Everyone okay today?" Mitchell glanced around the table, pausing at Teal'c, who acknowledged him with a small bow. "Not changed your mind?"

"I have not, ColonelMitchell. Although it is with deep regret that I leave SG-1."

"Yeah, yeah – I know." His ex-CO sighed deeply. "This just sucks. It sucks big time. It's worse than – it's worse than fighting Anubis!"

The others all laughed. Knowing how badly injured the Colonel had been after the Battle of Antarctica made his comparison even more heartfelt.

"What's so funny?" asked Jack, turning up with Daniel. The two of them took the remaining seats.

"Nothing," Mitchell answered, morosely prodding a pancake with his fork. "Those idiots in Washington being sent to an uninhabited planet – now that would be funny!"

"I know a few that we could send 'em to," Jack told them. "But it wouldn't solve anything. Some other dumb ass would just take over."

"It's not fair.." Mitchell began.

Jack put his hand up. "Save it. You already told me. We know it's not fair. You're preaching to the converted, buddy!"

Daniel offered Vala one of his pancakes.

She took it sombrely. Suddenly it had really hit her what life would be like if Teal'c left. Putting down the bottle of syrup, Vala looked around the table at her friends' gathered there. "Who will I have movie night with, when everyone else has gone home?" she asked, in a small voice.

There was silence around the table. Everybody looked at everybody else.

"I will be visiting the SGC at regular intervals, ValaMalDoran," Teal'c said eventually. "Movie night will not be as frequent as it has been previously, but it will still continue."

"Can we all come?" Jack asked, interestedly.

"Sounds like a party," Daniel chuckled, wryly.

Vala flashed him a wobbly smile.

Daniel leaned across the table and squeezed her hand.

"Indeed," Teal'c inclined his head. "But you must bring popcorn. ValaMalDoran and I prefer sweet to salted."

Mitchell let out a shout of laughter. "It's a date, ladies," he chuckled. "C'mon, Landry and today's briefing won't wait for us!"

**TBC...**


	5. Wonko!

**Chapter Five Wonko!**

Doctor Roger Nash, lecturer in civics at the Air Force Academy,based at Colorado Springs, looked rather timidly round the room full of people in front of him. On counting heads, he realized that here were only nine of them, and yet there seemed to be so many more. Most of them seemed rather – loud. And the three Russians insisted on waving their arms around when they spoke.

One of them, a Captain Sapazhnikov, had just narrowly avoided smacking a beautiful, black haired woman in the face.

She, in turn, had twisted his arm behind his back, pushed him to the floor and sat on him. The rest of the group had erupted into schoolyard glee – several shouts of "fight, fight, fight!" were heard.

The two British officers in particular seemed to be getting right amongst the action – Dr Nash was sure he'd seen money change hands between them.

"Five to one," Major Oldroyd said quietly to his compatriot, Lieutenant Deakin, as they passed the lecturer, on their way to sit down.

A quiet Chinese officer sat at the back, hands demurely folded on the desk in front of herself. She watched the rest of the group with a mixture of both horror and fascination on her face.

Two non-military personnel sat together, also at the back, a man and a woman.

The woman appeared to be taking photos constantly of what was going on in front of her. Dr Nash was fairly sure that she was uploading them onto the internet.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Dr Nash asked her, tentatively.

She merely glared, before shouting across the room to the British officers, "Put me down for ten bucks!"

Oldroyd grinned, put his thumb up and wrote something down in a small notepad.

"Shall we, ahem, shall we begin today's classes?" Dr Nash moved from where he stood by the door, to the front of the room and attempted to bring the unruly crew to order. To his surprise they immediately all went to their seats. The prone Russian and the woman with the long black hair good naturedly grinned and shook hands as they parted.

The nine settled, prepared themselves, and waited.

Dr Nash cleared his throat again. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous. This was the group's third session, as they studied for their citizenship exam, but the first time that Nash himself had taught them. A female colleague had been in charge of them yesterday – she had rung in sick today. Dr Nash hoped that this was merely coincidence.

Nine expectant faces watched him. Correction – eight. The non-military woman was still on her iPhone.

Dr Nash took a hasty swig of water, cleared his throat again and smiled faintly. "Shall we begin?"

- o – o – o – o – o – o –

Less than an hour later and Dr Nash sat, feeling rather discomfited, at the front of his empty classroom, having just permitted the students an early coffee break. He had the uneasy feeling that somehow, they'd managed to pull a fast one on him.

Having decided to begin today's lecture with a discussion of the Declaration of Independence, no sooner had he announced it before the attractive, black haired woman in the middle row raised her hand high, huge smile plastered across her face. For some reason the sight of that grin made him feel uneasy.

"Hello," she purred, in an extremely sexy voice. "My name's Vala."

Dr Nash swallowed. "Good morning."

"Freedom of speech is in the Declaration of Independence, I believe?" she continued to beam widely at him.

"Yes." Nodding firmly, he smiled back hesitantly at her.

"So - freedom of speech is permitted in this classroom?" Vala raised her eyebrows and watched him.

"Er - yes. Of course."

"Excellent." Vala cracked her knuckles. "Using my freedom of speech, I'd like to inform you that I believe your Washington committee are a bunch of ridiculous nincompoops."

"I second the motion!" Lt Deakin, rocking back on his chair, waved a hand in the air. "I mean, taking the test is jolly fun and all that, but I'd say that your tactics border on the bullying."

"Excuse..." Dr Nash began.

"I third the motion." Vala nodded her head vigorously.

"You can't third it, luv, you proposed it." Major Oldroyd winked at her.

"Oh, I did, didn't I?" Vala bit her lip endearingly.

"Nobody can third it!" Dr Nash interrupted. "Nobody can second it! It's not a motion!"

"Excuse me," Vala had her hand in the air again.

"Yes?" Nash wearily nodded at her.

"One of the rights named in the Declaration is the pursuit of happiness, isn't that so?"

"It is indeed." The tutor nodded, impressed. He consulted his register for the woman's last name. "Well done, Ms Mal Doran. Good work."

"Well, thank you." Her bright grin transformed in a moment to a sulky glower. "I'd like to say that I'm NOT happy at being forced to take the citizenship test. It's not fair. I'm at a disadvantage. I'm not happy!"

"I second the motion," Lt Deakin didn't look up when he spoke - he appeared to be writing in his little notepad again.

"Lt Deakin..." poor Dr Nash began.

"Yeah, yeah - not a motion." Deakin shut the book with a snap. He handed Vala a piece of gum.

She took it, batting her eyelids at him and grinning.

Dr Nash took a deep breath and carried on with the lesson. Mere minutes later he became aware that Lt Xiao, the Chinese employee, had timidly raised her hand. "Yes?" He enquired, kindly.

"I was wondering, sir, if the test is available in a Chinese translation." She nodded nervously. "My first language is not English."

"No, I'm afraid not." Nash replied. "That's part of the test really, that you should be comfortable conversing in English."

"But that's unfair, surely?" Vala was frowning indignantly again. "Doesn't that affect her freedom of speech? I'm sure it does. I mean, English is a super lovely language, well used across the entire galaxy...I mean...it would be..if we knew what was out in the galaxy...I'm sure..that is, rather.."

"Leave it, pet," Lt Deakin said, patting her arm. His security clearance was top level. "You're just digging a hole, sweetheart."

"Am I?" Vala looked puzzled. "Where?"

"Will the test be available in Russian?" Major Kurakin interrupted, bluntly.

"No. No, for the same reason that it will not be available in Chinese." Dr Nash cleared his throat nervously.

"Well, that's definitely against freedom of speech," Vala nodded. "I mean, if they can't use their first language surely? I mean - it would be like having to do the test in Gou'ald! Of course I'd pass it with speeding colors then!"

"Flying, luv." Lt Deakin made another note in his betting book and winked at her again.

Vala grinned lopsidedly.

"What's a Gou'ald?" enquired the other young lady, looking up from her iPhone.

Their was a brief silence. Everyone ignored the comment.

"Is liberty one of the rights?" asked Major Oldroyd, smiling sweetly.

"Er - it is." Nash nodded, warily.

"Am I at liberty to use the bathroom?" inquired the British officer.

"That's perfectly acceptable."

"Oh, me too!" Vala jumped to her feet.

"And me," iPhone girl stood and followed them out.

There was a short silence.

"And me." Lt Deakin sneaked out after the others.

Dr Nash sighed. "Shall we continue?" he suggested to the remaining group.

The three Russians all looked at each other. Major Kurakin glanced back at Lt Xiao, who shrugged.

"Very well," the Major replied.

Dr Nash managed to continue the lecture for several minutes before Captain Yezhov raised his hand in the air.

Inwardly, Dr Nash felt his heart plummet. "Yes?"

"I would like to know.." the Captain stood up, arms folded, face grim. "I would like to remind you of the many Russians and other members of the old Soviet Union who fought a long battle to attain our freedom and political liberty. And yet, here am I, and my compatriots, and these other people - here we are, having to fight for it a second time! Why is this?"

"What's a Soviet Union?" Vala asked, re-entering the classroom.

Several of her classmates filled her in on the antics of the old USSR.

"That's just like the Gou'ald!" she said, horrified.

"Agreed." Lt Deakin, following her back in, nodded soberly.

"I raise the motion," Major Kurakin surged to his feet. "that your Washington committee, who look with such disdain on fellow fighters for democracy, that it is they who behave as badly as the old USSR!"

"I second the motion!" Vala, terribly excited, climbed up onto a chair.

Major Kurakin clambered up onto his own.

Lt Deakin stood on his desk. "Solidarity, old boy," he informed the hapless Dr Nash.

"I also second the motion!" Captain Sapazhnikov slammed his hands onto the desk, nodding sagely.

"It's not a motion!" Dr Nash shouted. He paused, cleared his throat, and attempted to gain some composure. "Please, let's all calm down. Now.."

"It should be a motion," grumbled Vala, trekking back to her seat. "Being shut in a stuffy classroom is an affront to OUR freedom and political liberty, like the SSUR."

"I second it." Oldroyd managed to raise his hand, rock back in his seat and wink at Vala all in one fluid motion.

She giggled. The British officers were proving one of the highlights of the course for the alien.

Dr Nash took a deep breath. "It is not a motion. It never WILL be a motion! Major Oldroyd and Lt Deakin, if you second one more so-called motion I will have to ask you to leave this room!"

"That's a bit harsh," Deakin answered, mildly.

The room subsided into relative peace for about fifteen minutes. The students appeared to be listening and working quietly together.

Dr Nash had just begun to relax when he saw Vala raise her hand. He eyed her sternly.

She grinned widely, hunched her shoulders and continued to wave her hand in the air.

"Yes, Ms Mal Doran?" Nash said, eventually.

Vala cleared her throat. "Well, now, I've been reading some of your delightful Tau'ri history..."

"What history?"

"Tory history,"Lt Deakin interjected, swiftly. "British political party."

"Yes." Vala nodded vigourously. "I've been reading Tory history...because...because..." she looked helplessly at Deakin.

"Because the Tories are similar to the Republicans," Deakin finished smoothly. "Studying the different Houses and all that."

"Yes of course." Vala smiled and bit her lip endearingly. "Now, where was I?"

"I wish I knew, Ms Mal Doran," a weary Dr Nash replied.

"Oh yes." Paying him no attention she carried on. "You're Tory.."

Deakin shook his head vigorously.

"Republican?"

He shook it again."Just say American."

Vala re-started her speech. "Your American history - well, didn't your founding fathers come here in the first place to escape persecution in their homeland?"

"Ye-e-e-e-s-s-s." Dr Nash sighed. He thought that he knew where this was going.

"Well, aren't we - in this room - being persecuted because of our native heritage?" She looked at the tutor indignantly, large blue/grey eyes stormy. "Don't you think that's wrong?"

Lt Deakin raised his hand.

"Out." Dr Nash pointed to the door. "Just - out. Now."

Grinning like an errant school boy, the British officer left the room.

"But aren't I right?" Vala stood and put her hands on her hips, scowling. "I mean, really? Haven't you got this back to front? I mean, you must agree with me. Aren't I right?"

Dr Nash shrugged helplessly. "I suppose - when you put it like that - well, yes. I suppose that you're right."

"I knew it!" Vala, flushed with success, dropped iback nto her seat.

Captain Sapazhnikov and Major Kurakin stood and applauded.

Lt Xiao laughed in a most un-military way.

Lt Deakin pushed his face up against the small window in the classroom door and pulled faces.

"I think.." Dr Nash began, but no-one was paying attention.

Major Oldroyd had broken out with "Roll Out The Barrel".

The Russians were clapping along in time, cheerful grins on their faces.

Vala was sharing a huge slab of what looked like English chocolate with Lt Xiao and Miss iPhone.

The sole member of the class who had yet to speak - a lanky, grumpy-looking, early-twenty-something young man - leaned back in his seat and took a drag on a long slender Vape.

"You can't do that here!" Dr Nash, horrified, pointed at him.

"Relax, dude, it's one of those electric ones."

"I don't care!" Dr Nash, indignant, fraught and about to lose his sanity, pointed to the door. "You have to smoke outside."

"I'm being compromised," replied Twenty-something.

"Are you?" Vala broke off from her chocolate, interested. "How?"

"Persecution." Twenty-something nodded sagely. "Persecuted for my beliefs."

"He is, you know," Vala turned to Dr Nash. "I'm sure that there's not a law about smoking pretend cigarettes. He's being persecuted. He could sue you. The Air Force doesn't like things like that."

Dr Nash looked at his watch. It wasn't even 10 am yet. "Would you like a coffee break?" he asked, weakly.

"Yes please!" Vala grabbed her chocolate, her back pack and what looked like an orange stuffed toy which she'd had crammed under her desk.

Twenty-something unfurled his long frame and took his fake cigarette with him, stopping to let the Russians leave first.

Lt Xiao, finding English chocolate rather to her liking, accepted another large chunk from the alien and followed the two other women out.

Major Oldroyd followed the rest of them, as they all chattered their way to the mess hall. "Sorry, pal," he said apologetically, as he passed the tutor.

Dr Nash sat down with a bump in his chair and wondered if he should ring in sick tomorrow.

ooo - ooo - ooo

The red telephone on General Landry's desk rang. He glanced at the clock and sighed. Five minutes until he could leave, what was the betting that the President would keep him talking for half an hour? He was meant to be meeting Carolyn for dinner as well. Landry picked up the receiver.

"Hank, how are you? Good to hear your voice."

"I'm very well thank you, Mr President. Hardly dare to say it, but the SGC seems to be running fairly smoothly at the moment. No alien incursions hovering on the horizon as far as I'm aware."

"Great, that's great." Hayes paused. "I just wondered how the classes were going for our prospective new US citizens?"

"Ah." Landry leaned back in his chair. "Well, Dr Nash seems to be getting them to settle down at last. The students were all a little – feisty, shall we say, for the first day or so."

The President chuckled on the other end of the line. "Yeah, I heard. Ms Mal Doran being one of the main instigators, so I'm told."

Landry snorted. "Ms Mal Doran has been well taught by the other members of SG-1. Although, come to think of it, she didn't need anyone to teach her." There was a pause. "Be a shame to lose her though, Mr President," Landry continued, ruefully. "She's proved her worth to the SGC over and over."

"Well, I intend on coming to meet her at some point in the future, Hank, so she better pass." President Hayes paused. "She'll do okay. They'll all do okay. The committee are just making a point, kicking up their heels and spitting out their pacifier. Let 'em think you're going along with them. It's the US Immigration Service who run the citizenship classes anyway, and they have no issues with any of our applicants. Not even Ms Mal Doran."

Carolyn knocked quietly on the door and peeped in.

Her father beckoned her to enter.

She raised her eyes at the sight of the red telephone in use.

"True." Landry leaned back in his chair. "Pity about Teal'c. Everyone knew that he would never feel able to embark on any kind of US citizenship program. It is a type of persecution, y'know."

Hayes was silent for a few moments. "Hmmm. I know."

The President exhaled heavily. "He's going to be the scapegoat, I guess, unless we can find a way around it. Which doesn't seem possible at the moment."

"It sucks, as my fellow General Jack O'Neill would say," Landry told him.

Carolyn pointed quite blatantly to the clock.

"Anyway, Mr President.."

"Of course – you're off duty now." Hayes looked at his own watch. "We'll speak soon."

A few more pleasantries passed between the two men before they both hung up.

Carolyn smiled gently.

Her father raised his wonderful eyebrows. "C'mon." he stood and gestured to the door. "I've had enough of the immigration service and politicians for one day, even if one of them is the President. Let's get out of here before anything else untoward happens."

They set off down the corridor, managing about twenty feet before an "Unscheduled wormhole activation" alert went off.

Landry shrugged.

His daughter gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Go on," she told him. " I'll wait. In the mess hall."

He patted her shoulder, sighed gently and marched off in the direction of the control room.

Neither of them need to have worried.

The wormhole was just SG-5 reporting about Captain Willetts and a sprained ankle.

Ten minutes later and the General was with Carolyn in his car, on their way to O'Malleys.

**TBC...**


	6. When?

**Chapter 6 When?**

The citizenship classes had been going well. They had been running twice a week for the last two months or so and as far as Daniel was aware there had been no serious problems regarding any of the applicants.

Vala had attended regularly, revised all of her topics, and handed any homework in on time. Once she'd managed to get her head around the fact that she would have to put the hours in, and study, and revise, and pay attention for more than five minutes at a time – well, Daniel could not have been prouder of his zany alien friend. She even had post-it notes stuck all over his office and colour-coded cards with revision scribbles piled up in strategic places, including the gateroom.

"I can be revising right up until the last minute," Vala told Daniel, catching him chuckling at her just before they left on a mission one day. "That frelling committee are a bunch of nerf herders, Daniel – do you know what a nerf herder is? They live in the Star Wars galaxy and are remarkably stupid. I am going to show those idiot nerf herders that I'm better than them, and I'm worthy to be a US citizen and they are not, repeat NOT, Daniel, going to beat me at this."

Vala stuck her adorable nose up in the air and flicked her hair. "I'm not going to be chased off unless I choose to be chased off, so there. And I don't choose to be chased off, not yet anyway. So. There you are. Stop looking at me like that."

Daniel was couldn't stop the wide grin which was spreading across his face. It was part amusement but mostly complete awe at her single minded attitude. He really would not have believed that she could have pulled this off.

"I'm proud of you," he whispered, as they moved up the ramp towards the open wormhole. "Really."

Vala gave him a strange look. "You're worth it," she said quickly, looking embarrassed, then practically jumped into the wormhole.

Daniel paused, slightly stunned, before moving quickly after her.

Sam, following both of them, pressed her lips together so as not to burst out laughing.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Daniel was busy in his lab when Vala came tentatively to the door a few days later.

She held a letter in her hand which she'd clearly opened in a hurry - the envelope looked as if it had been ripped in half.

He looked at her inquiringly. "What's up?"

Vala bit her lip, a sure sign that something was bothering her.

Daniel put down his pen. "What's in the letter?"

Silently Vala handed it over. It was a letter from the Department of Immigration, with the date and time of her citizenship interview.

Daniel looked up at her. "That's good isn't it?" He handed the letter back. "Two weeks away – are you all being seen on the same day?"

Vala shrugged. She was still biting her lip and had yet to make eye contact with him.

A little alarm bell started ringing in the archaeologist's head. Daniel stood up carefully as Vala began to move away.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, firmly.

Vala paused, clearly about to bomb it from his lab and surprised that he had worked out her plan.

Daniel moved to stand between the alien and the door. "What's up?"

Instinctively she turned her back on him, going into Vala-Self-Defence mode, twisiing her hands together nervously.

Daniel put his hands gently on her shoulders.

An instant later and the emotionally fraught alien had covered her face with her hands. "What if I fail?" she whispered. "I can't bear it. I can't bear it, Daniel, to have to leave the SGC. I don't want to be sent away."

Something strange was happening to Daniel's insides. He felt a gentle ache, a pang of genuine pity, for his friend who stood there baring her soul to him. Deeply touched, he knew that she would _never_ show this part of herself to anyone else. An unusual surge of sympathy swept through him – he wrapped his arms around her and tucked her in against him, her back against his chest.

"You won't fail," he told her, adamant. "You've worked too hard, and you're far too intelligent to fail. You can fly a Tel'tak single-handedly! And if they decide to send you away whatever – well, I'll come with you."

"You'd really do that?" Vala's voice sounded sniffley but also awe struck. "Really Daniel? You'd do that for me?"

He cleared his throat, suddenly embarrassed. "It won't come to it. You'll storm it. I bet that you could beat the President himself on all of those questions!"

Vala turned suddenly in his arms, so that she was facing him, her arms leaning up against his chest. "Say it again?" she said, a peculiar gleam in her eyes.

"Which part?"

"The part about the President."

"You could beat him on the citizenship questions." Daniel felt a slight sense of misgiving as he spoke.

Vala wriggled out of his arms. "Thank you, Daniel! Thank you!" Before he could react she placed a hand on each of his shoulders and stood up on tiptoe to plant a smacking big kiss on the corner of his mouth. Then, like a whirlwind, she was gone, flying out of the door and down the corridor.

Mystified, he stood alone in the lab, rubbing absently at the area which she'd kissed.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Vala checked the time on the clock. 16.29 hours. That meant 18.29 hours in Washington. General Landry was still in his office though, not due off work for another couple of hours.

The gods of the Stargate were with her however, a few seconds passed and a 'Scheduled wormhole" announcement came over the watched as the head of the SGC stood up and left his office. In an instant Vala was inside and lifting the red telephone.

The President answered it on the first ring. A cold buffet had just been delivered to the Oval office – he loaded up his plate with a few of the appetising little sandwiches and canapés as he listened to the alien's voice.

"So Mr President, I was wondering if you wanted to test me on the citizenship questions. I mean, seeing as you know all that there is to know about the United States. And government. Obviously. And being as you're an interested observer, so to speak. I mean, you're not biased. Towards the applicants for the citizenship test. Or the Department of Immigration. You're not biased, are you?"

President Hayes was beginning to think that he was possibly becoming biased _towards_ the charismatic alien on the end of the line, but that it certainly wouldn't do to let her know.

"Ms Mal Doran," he told her, "I can tell you now, that if you've learnt all of the responses to the citizenship questions by heart, which Dr Nash himself assures me that you have, then you are as well versed in the knowledge and history of this country as I am."

"I won't ever be president thought," Vala told him. "I wasn't born in the United States of America. I could be a senator though. Do you think that I'd make a good senator?"

"I think that you would make an excellent senator," Hayes told her, picking up a sausage roll.

Another man came into the office – the President beckoned him over.

"Now, is there anything else I can do for you?" Hayes asked her.

"I don't think so. Am I allowed to ring you again if I need to?"

The President grinned widely. "Of course."

The man opposite raised his eyebrows.

"Can I do anything for you, Mr President?" Vala was twisting the phone cable around her fingers as she sat curled up in Landry's chair.

"You can vote for me a the next election, when you're a full US citizen! Deal?"

"Deal." She smiled.

"Well, I must leave you now, but there's someone here who may be able to help you with answering questions. Good night now." Hayes chuckled as he handed the phone to the man opposite, who took it frowning.

"Hello?" he queried.

"Oh! Hello Jack! Are you having dinner with the President?"

Jack O'Neill face palmed himself. "Vala – what the heck are you doing on Landry's phone?!"

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

The day of the test arrived rather too quickly for any member of SG-1's liking. Two of the offices up on level one - where the security was only general - had been converted into interview rooms for the day. Each student had been given an hour time slot.

Vala was one of the last due to go in – her interview was at 16.00 hours. When Daniel turned up at his office, before 08.00, he found her already esconsed in front of his laptop, and she spent the rest of the day revolving between Sam's lab, Mitchell's office, Teal'c's quarters and back again with the archaeologist.

Vala's eyes began to prickle, standing next to the Jaffa later on, as he packed away his possessions into several large boxes and bags.

At one point Teal'c handed her his Farscape DVD's to look after, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

Vala tucked them under her arm and blew her nose loudly as a lump formed in her throat. She had to pretend that she'd forgotten something in her own room and scuttled away quickly. Standing looking at herself in her mirror, she wondered what on earth she was doing. Who in their right mind would grant an ex-space pirate/con artist/thief/smuggler/gambler and Gou'ald host U.S citizenship?

_Whatever am I thinking?_ She sank briefly down onto her bed. _I'll never pass! I'm a fool to have even thought that I could do this._

Vala began to panic – dragging one of her huge duffle bags from the cupboard she began to hurl stuff frantically into it. A knock at the door stopped her - opening it a crack, she peeped out.

"Whatcha doin?" Jack O'Neill asked, amiably.

A pause. She pushed the door wider, so that he could see the muddle of clothes and possessions all over the bed.

"That's what Danny boy said you'd be doing," he nodded sagely.

Vala looked away, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

"C'mon, I'm buying lunch."

The alien looked at him, still not saying a word.

"C'mon. Carter'll yell at me if you don't."

A tiny, unwilling smile tugged at the corner of Vala's mouth.

"There's chocolate pudding," Jack raised his eyebrows. "Chocolate…."

"Alright." Vala tossed her head and picked up her handbag and all of the examination paraphernalia which she'd been carting about for the past few weeks. "I'm only doing it to be polite. I don't really care about the chocolate pudding."

"Me neither," Jack replied, gesturing for her to go first.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Vala calmed down eventually, after a bowl of pudding and a large raisin cookie. She spent most of the next hour bashing Jack's eardrums with her nervous chatter about how good her moral character was, all the good work she'd done for the SGC since she came to Earth, how she wasn't going to talk about her father unless she had to, how she felt about the USA, how she felt about the Declaration of Independence and finally how the President had told her himself that she didn't have to admit to having been a pirate or a smuggler. Or having the Kor-mak bracelets.

"You still have those darn bracelets?" Jack asked her, surprised.

"Yes. No. I mean, yes but no. I sort of have them. But I've hidden them. Because General Landry thinks that he has them. You won't tell, will you? The president said it was alright," Vala added anxiously, eyes huge.

Jack shrugged. "None of my business," he told her.

Vala looked up at the clock. 15.25 hours. In less than an hour she'd be in the interview. Her stomach dropped and she felt hot all over. Her palms began to sweat.

"Hey," Jack tapped the back of her hand with his spoon. "Come with me." Pushing his chair back, he led her out of the mess hall, and straight to Daniel's office. After rapping sharply on the door frame he winked, then wandered off in the direction of Sam's lab.

Daniel looked up at the knock, before pushing away the translation that he was working on. "I've got something for you," he said simply, handing over an envelope and a little parcel.

Distracted momentarily from going into full blown panic mode, Vala tok the two objects. She opened the envelope – it was a good luck card from the rest of SG-1, with a huge four leaf clover on the front and a cheeky green pixie waving. Vala didn't know about clover's being lucky until Daniel explained, but the card itself made her feel better than she had all day.

"That's from me," he told her, as she began to open the parcel. It was a small green teddy bear, with a clover leaf on his tummy and a green, shiny jewel around his neck.

Vala didn't even attempt to speak, knowing that the flood gates would just break if she tried. She just nodded and kissed the little toy and wiped her eyes with her knuckles.

"You can take it in to the interview with you," Daniel told her.

"Cnngghhy?" she gulped, unintelligably.

"Sure. It'll bring you good luck – not that you need it." he spoke firmly, trying to instill some confidence into his friend.

"Thanks." Vala smiled hesitantly, still sniffing.

Mitchell put his head round the door. "Ready, Princess?" he asked, gently. " C'mon. I'll walk you down."

**TBC...**


	7. Winner

**Chapter 7 Winner**

Daniel looked up at the clock again. 17.05 hours. _She must be out soon, surely? _He looked at his watch – it said exactly the same time. Picking up his cell phone he noted the large, digital 5.06pm on the idle screen. Sighing, the archaeologist threw it down onto the desk. When he looked up again, Vala was standing in the doorway.

Daniel physically jumped.

Vala didn't speak, just held out the N-652 form towards him.

Snatching it out of her hand, Daniel skimmed the paper quickly, his own hands shaking with nerves. "Granted." He read out. His head snapped up. "Granted?"

Vala nodded, apparently unable to speak.

Uncharacteristically Daniel grabbed her and pulled her into the most enormous hug.

"Granted," Vala blurted out at last, saying it over and over, against his neck. "It says 'Granted.' Me. Me, Daniel. 'Granted.' I"ve been granted citizenship. Really. Me. I have. Me."

Daniel rocked her gently from side to side, feeling surprisingly emotional. He didn't know what he would have done if she'd failed, realizing now that he'd been almost as worried as she had been. The realization had crept up on him, how fond he'd become of Ms Mal Doran. He hadn't understood how much she really did mean to him, until there was a chance that she'd be sent away.

_Or perhaps_, he thought, with a sudden burst of self awareness, _I did realize – I just didn't want to admit it_.

Vala looked up at him, shaking her hair away from her face and wearing the most amazing, dazzling smile.

Daniel wasn't sure that he'd ever seen her so happy. He was still holding her tight against himself, her own arms around his back. He felt a strange heat begin to steal over him and found that he couldn't look away from her face and her beautiful, sparkling, dancing grey eyes. Her wide, smiling, kissable mouth – oh crap – when had he begun to feel like this about his team mate?

Daniel swallowed - something was definitely stirring down below on his anatomy. He felt himself beginning to blush before - thank the gods - she pushed away from him at last.

Vala's smile turned to a grin. "Let's find the others!" she pulled at his hand excitedly. "Come on!"

So, still slightly stunned by the unexpected feelings that he'd just experienced, Daniel allowed himself to be dragged out of his office in the direction of the mess hall.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

The rest of SG-1 had been suitably ecstatic when they heard Vala's news – an impromptu visit to O'Malley's had occurred, with most of the other citizenship candidates turning up as well.

All of the candidates had passed, even the redoubtable Major Oldroyd and Lt Deakin. Much beer was drunk, and food consumed and lots of laughter and dancing and winding down.

Most people ended up having to call cabs to get home, as they had become too tipsy to contemplate driving.

Even Daniel, who was usually quite sensible around alcohol, had spent a large chunk of the evening keeping a tight hold of Vala. Not quite kissing her, not quite hugging, but not quite leaving her alone for anyone else to get hold of either. Daniel had his eye on Lt Deakin, who he was convinced had a soft spot for his team mate. The archaeologist even found himself on the dance floor several times, mainly to prevent the aforementioned Lt Deakin, or anybody else, sneaking in on his Vala.

_My Vala_, he thought, hazily, through the booze. _When did she become that?_ But he was sure – at that moment in time – he would fight anyone who tried to take her away from him. Daniel staggered gently as both he and Vala fell back into their seats.

Vala grinned lopsidedly.

Sam kicked Mitchell under the table. She shook her blonde head at him, trying unsuccessfully to look cross.

Mitchell's half hearted attempt not to laugh gleefully into Daniel's face was failing miserably. The Colonel resorted to just grinning irritatingly at his team mate, and winking.

"Are you somehow drunk?" Daniel asked his CO, peering through his spectacles.

"Heck, maybe a little bit!" Mitchell responded, following up with a bark of laughter.

There was more than the ghost of a smile in Teal'c's eyes as he sat quietly watching them all.

As the Jaffa was one of the few sober members of the party left at the end of the evening, he offered to perform cab duties for the other members of SG-1.

When they arrived at Daniel's, Mitchell decided that he was going to stay over, as he said that the archaeologist was too drunk to look after himself. The fact that Mitchell was in about as sober a state as his team mate did not escape the others.

Sam took one look at her extremely inebriated friends and said that she would get out at Daniel's too.

Vala was about to join them when something in Teal'c's expression stopped her, and she decided to go back to her quarters in the mountain.

Daniel gave her a goofy grin through the window as he stumbled away towards his front door.

Vala's heart did a little jump in her chest. When she looked back at Teal'c he was smiling.

"Alright, Muscles, I see you there." The legal alien leaned back in her seat. "Let's go and watch some DVD's."

"Is the hour not too late for you, ValaMalDoran?" Teal'c sked her as he pulled away from the curb, eyes now back on the road.

"Nope." She put her feet up on the dashboard. "I'm too excited to sleep anyway. I might ring the president. Not now, obviously, because it's.." she looked at the clock on the dashboard. "..it's – um – three something o'clock in Washington? Is that right?"

"Indeed. The President would not be impressed if you awoke him at this hour, I believe."

"No. It's even worse than when I rang him at 1am. Oh!" Vala paused, then grinned. "I forgot – you're not supposed to know about that. Nobody knows except me and the President. Don't tell Landry, will you?"

"I will not."

There was silence for a while. The dark road slipped by quietly.

Eventually Vala spoke again. "I wish that you didn't have to leave," she told him, for about the sixth time.

"I also wish this," Teal'c sadly replied. "But I cannot..."

"I know." Vala laid her smaller hand on his large one. "I know."

They didn't speak again until they were back at the mountain.

- o - o - o -o - o - o -

The SGC was almost silent. Vala could hear the faint electrical humming of generators, and the odd voice away in the distance but other than that all was quiet.

After she'd left Teal'c and his 'Carry On Screaming' DVD she'd had a shower, and a hot chocolate and laid down in bed, but to no avail. All that kept going through her head now was that the SGC was going to lose Teal'c. SG-1 were going to lose him – the stoic, brave, loyal, caring Jaffa, who had been there at the beginning with O'Neill and was still there now, fighting for a planet which wasn't even his own.

Vala felt tears gather in her eyes. She sat up in bed, resolute. If today had taught her nothing else, it had taught her that things which you thought that you could never do, could in fact be done. Two minutes later she'd yanked her purple hoody on and headed off towards Landry's red telephone.

President Hayes was eating his breakfast when the phone rang and his secretary put a call through from Colorado Springs. He already had a hunch that it wasn't Hank on the end of the line.

"Good morning, Ms Mal Doran," he said cheerfully, selecting a croissant from the breakfast trolley. He already knew the answer but asked anyway. "How did you get on yesterday?"

"Oooh! Mr President – I passed! Really I did! I was totally honest too. Apart from the pirate business, and the smuggling, and the time that I ran a card game out of Norda Carnah. I showed them my receipts from the mall, to show that I like spending American money, even though Daniel said that I shouldn't show them the ones' from Victoria's Secret – I can't imagine why because their clothes are lovely there, a bit skimpy I suppose. I told them about my debit card and bank account and showed them my Forces card and they didn't even ask anything difficult! I knew all of the answers! All of them, Mr President, and they made me read really, really, _really_ easy sentences and then they told us straight after and I was so, well – I was so – well, I don't know what I was!"

The President's laughter broke in on her chatter. "You owe me a vote at the next election, Ms Mal Doran," he chuckled.

Vala beamed on the other end of the line. "You'll get it." She paused. "Actually, I was ringing about something else. I was ringing about – about Teal'c."

There was a brief silence on the end of the line.

"Yes?" Hayes asked her, gently.

"It's just," Vala swallowed, before tugging a tissue from the box on Landry's desk, She was glad that the President couldn't see her at the moment, her face had become all soggy and leaky. "I wondered if you could put a few points to the committee on my behalf. Now that I'm a US citizen. Or rather, after today. We're taking our Pledge of Allegience this afternoon, you know."

"I did know." The President smiled. Unknown to the alien, he pressed the button on his phone to 'speaker.' The four other gentlemen in the room all paused to listen.

"Well," Vala cleared her throat. "We know that Teal'c has done all sorts of good work for the SGC and the Tau'ri in the last twelve or more years since he's been here. And how he's brave and loyal and kind and all of those things. And how he's helping to start a new nation, back on Dakara. So couldn't he be some kind of ambassador? An ambassador to SG-1 in particular? I mean, then he could have like diplomatic immunity, couldn't he? If he was an ambassador."

Hayes raised his eyebrows, as he looked around the room at the other men present.

Vala barely paused for breath before carrying on. "You see, when I was learning all that civics for my exam, well I learned that the colonists came to America originally to escape persecution. And to find freedom. Well, that's what Teal'c did, isn't it, Mr President? That's why he came to America in the first place. So, shouldn't we help him now? And apart from giving up loyalty to other countries…" she paused and flicked to another of the cue card's in her hand, "..he defends the constitution and the laws of the U.S at work every day, I'm sure that he does, and he obeys the laws of this country, _and_ he served in the military _and_ he does important work for this nation – he would still be doing that, wouldn't he? Even if he was on Dakara. And.." she finished with a flourish, "I can't get into trouble for asking you all this because I'm allowed to give an elected official an opinion on an issue, aren't I?"

One of the men who was sitting in the Oval office with Hayes leaned back in his chair.

Hayes caught his eye and grinned wryly.

Vala still hadn't finished. "Now, it also says that you're the Commander in Chief of the military, is that right Mr President?"

"That's correct, Ms Mal Doran."

"So, theoretically, you could make a special law or whatever in Teal'c's case, couldn't you? _Couldn't_ you?"

"I -.."

"Please. Please Mr President." Vala reached for another tissue and blew her nose. "Please, just – please do something."

Unseen by the gentlemen in Washington she laid her head on her arms.

Hayes beckoned over the man who was still sprawling back in his chair and turning off the speaker, handed him the receiver.

"Hey," Jack O'Neill's voice was soft on the other end of the line. "C'mon now. I've got it under control here."

"Oh!" Vala sat up, scrubbing her eyes with the tissue. A tremulous smile hovered about her lips. "I didn't know that you were there! Guess what, I'm going to be a U.S citizen."

"Funny that, huh? I kinda worked it out." Jack raised his eyebrows. "What time is it there?" He looked at the watch on his own wrist, as the alien answered.

"Nearly 05.45 hours a clock," she mis-told him.

"Then you should go to bed, or you're gonna sleep through your ceremony this afternoon," Jack told her. "Don't worry about T – I'm sorting something out."

"Thank you Jack," Vala whispered, fervently. "And tell the President, thank you too. And tell him again I'll definitely vote for him at the next election. And also -."

Jack broke in before she could go off on one again. "Vala!" he spoke firmly. "Go to sleep! That's an order."

"Oh! Yes of course! Yes I will. Goodnight," she ended on a whisper. She plopped the phone down hurriedly. If anyone could sort it out, could make it work for Teal'c, then it was Jack. Jack and the President – she had complete faith in them. Sighing, Vala rested her head on her arms. Landry's big chair was comfortable and her eyes began to shut of their own accord.

"Ms Mal Doran!" A voice boomed at her.

Vala shot upright in the chair. "What time is it?" she blurted out, pulling off one of the cue cards from where it had stuck itself onto her face.

"It's 07.30 hours," General Landry growled loudly.

Vala gulped. "Oh dear." She smiled tentatively. " I – er – I was -."

"I don't want to know." Landry told her. "Out. Now."

"Yessir!" and Vala shot out of the office and down the stairs in the blink of an eye.

General Landry looked at Walter, who stood slightly behind him, mouth agape.

"Exactly, Walter," Landry said. He took the cup of coffee that the sergeant was holding and headed into his office. "Exactly."

**TBC...**


	8. Wisdom

**Chapter 8 Wisdom**

General Jack O'Neill walked into Sam's lab without as much as a by-your-leave at just after 14.00 hours on the following afternoon.

"Hey," he said, by way of a greeting, sitting down on a stool and leaning his chin on his hand.

"Hey yourself," Sam replied. She tossed aside her pen and came round to his side of the desk.

Slipping his arm around her waist, Jack pulled her down onto his knee.

There was silence for a minute or two in the lab, before Sam, now slightly pinker in the cheeks, pushed away from the General and stood up.

"You'll be moaning about your knees all day, if you keep me sitting on them," she told him, smiling.

Jack caught her hand and pulled her back down. "Never mind the old knees," he told her.

Sam slipped her arm over his shoulder and ruffled his short grey hair. "Weren't you just here yesterday?" she teased him. " I could've sworn a guy just like you was hanging around my office. Are you back for the ceremony?"

"Uh huh. Thanks be to Thor for the Asgard transport beam, that's all I can say. If I'd spent the last few days on a plane between here and Washington, I'd be ready to rip someone's head off 'bout now!"

There was a knock at the door.

"What?" Jack said, brusquely.

Sam stood up quickly.

Daniel put his head into the room.

Jack pulled Sam back down into his lap again.

"Hi Jack," Daniel smiled, cheerfully. "Here for the ceremony?"

"No Daniel, I'm here for the beer and pizza afterwards. There is beer and pizza?" Jack looked quizzically up at his old friend.

Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Where's your girlfriend, Dr Jackson?" Jack added, mischievously.

"Er – she's not my girlfriend, and – er – I have no idea." Daniel looked distracted for a moment. "I'm sure she's fine." He paused. "Maybe I'll just – you know – go and see.."

"You do that, Danny boy." Jack wrapped his arms tighter around Sam. "And shut the door again on your way out!"

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

Vala was in a panic when Daniel found her in her quarters. She was still wearing her too-skimpy pyjamas, with her hair in curlers and no make up on.

"I'm not ready!" she wailed, handing him the curling tongs and a pair of sheer black stockings. " I overslept! I only woke up after lunch! I won't be on time!" Grabbing a handful of hair pins with one hand she stuffed a large chunk of cookie into her mouth with the other. "I need a razor!" she squeaked. "I have to shave my legs!"

"Vala," Daniel told her patiently. "Nobody is going to be looking at your legs." Although privately, he thought that they might well be, the alien's legs were rather shapely.

"It doesn't matter!" she told him, desperately. "I have to dress nicely and look beautiful. I have to be perfect!"

"You already are," Daniel told her, quietly.

Vala paused, about to spin away from him towards the table.

Daniel cleared his throat. "You look beautiful – you _will_ look beautiful. You are - …" He couldn't say the last part – you are perfect_._ _I'm an idiot,_ he thought. _I'm an idiot, she thinks I'm an idiot, I'm acting like an idiot._

Vala drew very close to him.

As she touched his face very gently with her finger tips Daniel felt an electric shock crackle through him. Vala's eyes were dark, she was looking at his lips – next instant he felt her kiss him as softly as a butterfly, pulling his forehead down against her own. Daniel's hands were at her waist, he realized, and he deepened the kiss, moving his hands to her back to hold her closely against himself.

Vala's mouth was open, tongue gently flicking against the archaeologist's. She felt as if she was melting into a puddle of hormones against Daniel's body and was glad that he appeared to be holding her up. _Otherwise_, she thought,_ I'd be lying on the floor by now_.

Pulling her closer up against himself Daniel felt as if he could hardly breathe – the kiss was becoming deeper and more frantic.

Vala ran her hands under his shirt and tucked them into the waistband of his combats, just as an announcement went off on the tannoy – half an hour until the Citizenship ceremony.

Gasping, Vala pushed herself away from the idiotically grinning Dr Jackson.

"Out!" she hissed, feeling as if she'd just been through a mangle, albeit a very nice one. "Out this minute."

He left without a word, until a plaintive wail followed him down the corridor.

"Daniel!"

"Yes?"

"Can you lend me a razor?"

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

15.00 hours. The eight SGC members who were about to become US citizens were all gathered in the gate room. The ramp had a lectern at it's lower end, there was red, white and blue bunting draped everywhere, with a red carpet leading in from the door to the ramp.

General's Landry and O'Neill were stood by the lectern, other members of the SGC who wished to watch their friends and colleagues take the Pledge of Allegience were ranged in rows along one side of the room.

Vala was stood in between 2nd Lt Xiao and Lt Deakin.

Daniel frowned slightly.

"You okay?" Sam asked, coming to stand beside him.

Teal'c followed her but continued forward to stand with Jack, after acknowledging his friend with a gentle bow.

"Sure. Just watching the – er – the guys," Daniel finished lamely. A light blush tickled his cheekbones.

Sam smiled, caught Jack's eye across the room and felt her own face become slightly rosier as well.

"Ladies and gentlemen," General Landry was speaking, up on the platform. The room fell silent. "It is with great pleasure that I introduce to you all – the President of the United States of America."

_Oh blimey!_ was all that went through Vala's mind. It was one of the milder English exclamations that Major Oldroyd had taught her.

Henry Hayes came in, smiling, looking around the room, nodding to the few people that he knew. A burst of applause and surprised chatter greeted his entrance.

Vala ducked very slightly behind Major Kurakin. Seeing the President in the flesh was very different to talking to him on the phone.

Hayes gave a brief, friendly speech, then each new citizen was called up one by one to recite the Pledge of Allegience and shake hands with him.

Vala was called last. Blushing rather charmingly she trod tentatively up the ramp, peeping at the Commander-in-Chief of the military from under her eyelashes. She was reassured – his smile widened conspicuously when he saw her.

"Very nice to meet you at last, Ms Mal Doran," he whispered as he shook her hand.

Down amongst the SGC personnel Daniel felt his stomach flip as Vala twinkled up adorably at the President. _Does she really not know how gorgeous she looks when she does that_? he thought.

"Very nice to meet you too," Vala replied. "Sorry about all the phone calls."

"Not at all," Hayes grin was genuine. "After all, it _is_ your right to give an elected official your opinion on a matter!"

She huffed a nervous little giggle, and then became serious as, turning towards the US flag, she made her Pledge of Allegience. Voice trembling a little as she came to the end of reciting the oath, she had to blink hard several times and clear her throat.

After shaking Hayes' hand, Vala made to move away and rejoin the other new US citizens but the President caught her arm gently. She turned to him, puzzled.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Hayes began. "You have all made a commitment today to the United States of America, and I can only applaud the willingness and determination of each one of you. You all took an un-looked for obstacle in your stride, and overcame it to continue your valued and important work with the US Air Force."

He paused and glanced at several members of his Washington staff who were present, and had the decency to look a little uncomfortable.

"However," Hayes continued. "One of the non-US members of the SGC felt unable to become a citizen of this nation, due to the importance he places on his own work on behalf of the people of the Jaffa Nation."

Several people looked at Teal'c who continued to gaze blissfully ahead, unheeding of the attention.

"And so," the President continued, "as Commander in Chief of the military, I felt that it was my duty to intervene on this, and only this occasion."

One of the personnel from Washington looked disgruntled and muttered something under his breath.

Jack turned and glared at him.

The man reddened and subsided into silence.

"Teal'c," Hayes called.

The Jaffa stepped forward, taking up position at the bottom of the ramp.

"As was pointed out to me by Ms Mal Doran," the President continued, "your history with the SGC has born remarkable similarities with the early settlers themselves. You came to this world to escape persecution from the Gou'ald, you want freedom for all Jaffa, and you wish to create a new constitution among your own people for political liberty. All these things are what our own forefathers wished for when they first came to this country. Moreover, although you have not made your pledge of allegience here today, you fulfil five of the six criteria which are covered in the promise that all new citizens make. You defend the constitution and laws of the US, you obey the laws of the US, you serve in the US military, you perform important work for the nation and you are loyal to the US. Is this not the case?"

Teal'c, listening intently, inclined his head. "Indeed," he acknowledged. "Whilst living among the Tau'ri my loyalty has always been to the United States of America."

"Well then," Hayes smiled. "I would like to invite you to take up a position which has recently been created within my own government. General O'Neill feels that the presence of an ambassador from the new nation of Free Jaffa would be beneficial in Washington. He also feels, along with General Landry, that the need for a Jaffa presence at the SGC is required, to aid the new nation with any diplomatic queries and problems which may occur. It has long been thought that the presence of a diplomat on SG-1 would also be beneficial, as out of all our off-world teams they are the group who most often have first contact with alien races. As a diplomat from your own nation you would not be required to take any citizenship exam, or pledge allegience to the US. The whole point of being an ambassador is that you are a citizen of your own nation." He paused.

Teal'c's lips twitched into a smile. "I would continue to work at the SGC?" he queried.

"Yes."

"I would remain on SG-1?"

"Yes, you would."

"I would be required to attend meetings in Washington also?"

"That's correct." Hayes nodded. "General O'Neill will be able to advise you on those, I'm sure."

Teal'c bowed. His smile was widening by the second. "Then it is my honor to accept this position, PresidentHayes. Thank you."

The gate room erupted into gleeful chaos. People were cheering, applauding, shouting.

Jack grabbed Sam and dragged her up the ramp to where Vala had sprung into Teal'c's arms and wrapped her legs around his waist.

Slapping Teal'c's shoulder, Jack grinned. "You got the space-pirate to thank for setting the ball in motion," he told him, nodding at a slightly tear-stained but rapturously beaming Vala.

"You as well," she replied, sliding down off of Teal'c's hip and sneaking in under Jack's arm. "It was you who sorted it all out. You and the President."

"It was my pleasure," Henry Hayes said, from directly behind her.

Vala let go of Jack and put her arm around Hayes instead.

The President smiled down at her. "It's always pleasant to be involved in something which has a happy ending."

Mitchell appeared beside Sam, saluting Hayes briefly and joining the group.

Pushing his way through the excited crowd, Daniel's eyes were on Vala the entire time. After a few minutes he gently disentangled her from around the President, who she was chatting excitedly with, and tucked her arm into his own.

Landry came over and introduced Carolyn to Hayes. The General congratulated Teal'c before muttering something about more damn paperwork, but his eyes were twinkling.

Lt's Deakin sneaked up behind Vala and twirled her around, making the alien laugh.

Daniel let him get away with it for a minute before strategically slipping his arm around her again, merely shrugging good humoredly when he caught Mitchell's eye.

Landry was deep in conversation with the three Russians - Mitchell, quick off the mark, winked at Carolyn.

She smiled faintly back at him, glancing surreptitiously at her father, before sidling very slowly over towards the Colonel.

"I gotta headache," Mitchell drawled, his twinkling blue eyes proving the statement untrue.

"I'd best see that you get some medication for that then, Colonel," Carolyn declared primly, before tactfully withdrawing to the peace and quiet of the infirmary, Mitchell in tow behind her.

He kicked her office door shut with a bang, ensuring that it stayed firmly closed for the next half hour or so.

The crowd left behind in the gate room started talking about going to O'Malley's.

Vala looked hopefully at Daniel.

"Where's your wallet?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't have it with me."

Daniel sighed, knowing when he was beaten. "Okay. You coming Teal'c? Jack?"

"Indeed." Teal'c aqueiesced.

Jack eyed Hayes speculatively. "Shall we sir? I mean, there's a perfectly good transport beam can take us home any old time!"

"I've heard about O'Malley's," the President told them, thoughtfully. "Seems only appropriate to – er – reconnoitre the place myself while I'm here."

"Yes!" Vala bounced up and down. "It'll be like a date. Except not like a date. Because there's so many of us. I mean, _you'll_ sort of be _our_ date. Or we'll be yours. Have you been on a date before, Mr President?"

Hayes laughed loudly. Ms Mal Doran had not disappointed him, having met her at last.

"Yes, I have been on a date, but not for some time now." He indicated for her to lead the way. "I'm sure that you must go on them all the time however."

"Oh no," she replied, blithely. "The only proper date that I've been on was with Daniel…"

"Vala!" the archaeologist tried to stop her but it was too late.

"…but that was a terrible date. I got kidnapped and everything. And I lost my memory. I'm waiting for him to take me on another one, but he never does. I mean he takes me out to places. On our own sometimes. But he never says that it's a date. I mean, would you call that a date, Mr President? Would you? I mean, don't you have to say that it's a date for it to be one?"

"Er – ." President Hayes, momentarily struck by the Vala-Verbal-Hurricane, was unable to coherently form words.

Jack thought it was hilarious – he loved it when the alien went full throttle. As the whole group moved out of the gateroom he caught the eye of one of the Washington committee members, looking suitably grumpy.

Jack saluted nonchalantly as they went past.

He didn't feel sorry for them one bit.

**TBC...**


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Vala hummed quietly to herself as she read her Certificate of Naturalization again. Today had been like a dream – first the phone call to Washington, then the ceremony itself, and meeting the President, then the celebratory meal down at O'Malley's. Of course, there had also been the kiss with Daniel in the middle there somewhere – she smiled as she remembered being held up tight against him. He'd been very protective down at the restaurant too – she smiled as she remembered how he'd looked suspiciously at Lt Deakin when the Englishman came over to ask her to dance.

Vala glanced at her little bedside clock – 01.15am. Everyone had gone home and the SGC was darkened and peaceful. Leaning the certificate up against a photograph of herself with the rest of SG-1 she took a photo on her cell phone.

A lump unexpectedly came into Vala's throat and she blinked. _Who would have thought that I would ever feel like I belonged anywhere?_ she thought. _And now I have the papers to prove it. _

She kissed the certificate and laid it on her bedside table, before returning to study the photo of herself and her team mates. Vala kissed that as well, right on Daniel's smile.

My team, she sighed, contentedly. For the first time since she was a child of twelve she felt that she'd stopped running. It was a strange feeling. Strange but good.

Putting the photograph back down she dreamily floated about the room – brushing her hair, turning back the covers, slipping into her flimsy, lacy nightgown. She turned the TV on quietly.

There was a soft knock at the door. When Vala peeped out it was to find Daniel standing outside, looking slightly sheepish.

"What are you doing back here?" she asked him. "I thought that you'd gone home. Do you know what time it is?"

"It's gone 1.30 am," Daniel told her. "And yes, I went home, but now I seem to be back here." He paused. "I wanted to be with you."

Vala raised her eyebrows questioningly.

The archaeologist stuck his hands deep into his pockets and shrugged. "I thought – that you shouldn't be on your own tonight. Today was so special, you should be – I don't know – you should be with someone. With friends. A friend."

"Like you?" Vala whispered. She felt almost afraid to breathe too loudly.

Daniel nodded. "Mm-hmm." He looked directly into her eyes, his own seeming a darker blue in the soft lights of the corridor. He wasn't quite sure what had brought him back to the SGC. He'd meant what he'd said though – the thought of her being alone, on tonight of all nights. Something seemed to have changed inside him, since all of this citizenship business had started. Vala was different. Or was she?

Daniel smiled to himself. _Perhaps it's me who's different._

The object of his thoughts pushed the door open wider. "Come on then." Vala smiled up at him.

Daniel moved closer – he could feel the heat of her body through his shirt. Not difficult, seeing as her nightdress seemed to consist of merely two lace handkerchiefs joined together. A second later and her lips were against his, arms around his neck as he pulled her tight against his chest, stepped into the room and kicked the door shut behind them.

- o - o - o - o - o - o -

The clock in the control room said 02.04am as General Landry passed through quietly, on a last stroll around the base. Today had been extraordinary – the head of the SGC felt immensely proud of his whole team. And the President coming out with that deal to save Teal'c! Well, that really had been the icing on the cake. Hank smiled to himself as he remembered the disgruntled look on the faces of the IOA members.

Hayes had been safely deposited back at the White House by transport beam at about 20.00 hours. Jack, inexplicably, could not be found anywhere at the time so the president had left without him.

Landry had an idea that Colonel Carter knew exactly where General O'Neill was, they both seemed to have disappeared round about the same time. He chuckled to himself – those two were like a pair of teenagers at times.

Continuing his patrol of the corridors, he paused near to Vala's quarters. Landry could hear quiet voices murmuring, then a chuckle. Well, she wasn't in there on her own. Fairly certain that Daniel was in there with her, his guess was confirmed when the archaeologist spoke again and Vala laughed loudly. Landry shook his head, smiling and moved on.

Carolyn was on duty in the infirmary tonight – a couple of the beds were occupied but otherwise the ward was quiet. Her father headed towards the office but stopped close to the door when he heard Colonel Mitchell speaking from within.

Carolyn replied, but whatever she said was cut off in mid-sentence. Something was knocked to the floor – there was a brief pause before Mitchell muttered quietly and picked it up.

"Someone'll hear you," Hank heard his daughter say, a laugh in her voice.

"Aww - I don't much care," Mitchell replied.

Landry moved on, not wanting to eavesdrop or interrupt. He heard Carolyn whisper something else as he trod quietly away.

The General carried on pacing slowly through the corridors of the SGC. All was well, if only for one night, inside Cheyenne Mountain.

**THE END.**

**- o - o - o - o - o - o -**

**Thank you to everyone who stayed with this story and gave feedback. Have to confess now, this was a tough one to write/re-write/get up here! Hope that you all enjoyed it however.**

**More stories up soon - if you think that you can bear it! Thanks again, to one and all.**


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